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14 PINK FLOYD’S THE ENDLESS RIVER
An open conversation between our editors over Pink Floyd’s final album release and their legacy
20 LIVE PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
Two separate shows, two different artists, and two different states. Our writers comment on each of their experiences from the build up to climax of each event
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27 SURGING: THE BRIGHTEST NORDIC TALENTS
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An opportunity to share our finds from a hotbed in popular music
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34 SPOTLIGHT: NORWAY’S BEARSON
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The tropical house producer takes a moment to share with CLM about his passions and his recent successes
44 FULL ALBUM REVIEWS
56 POSTER PINUP
Recommended albums by Royksopp, TV On The Radio, Ariel Pink, Yo La Tengo, Charli XCX, & Viet Cong
Two page spread for posting anything from festival posters, artwork, events, to music photography
58 LALI: THE MYSTERIOUS DRUMS OF FIJI EN
This ethnic gem drives the heartbeat of Fijian culture, from influencing popular music, to featuring prominently in dance and ceremonial events, & plenty more
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65 END OF YEAR: 2014’S BEST CONTRIBUTIONS
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Top ten lists for best albums and tracks, & five underrated albums
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73 LINEUP CRITIQUE: SHAKY KNEES
The third annual indie festival in the heart of Atlanta just released their lineup. Did they out do themselves?
87 SURGING: GEORGIA
82 SURGING: THE WORLD
We share some of Georgia’s best and brightest talents including East Atlanta Village phenom Raury
Highlighting some of the best talents at home & abroad, including Temples, Catfish & The Bottlemen, Giraffage
92 LITE ALBUM REVIEWS
Panda Bear, Mr. Gnome, D’Angelo & the Vanguard, & Walk the Moon
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96 WEB HISTORY M US IC
Our writers sort through their web history and offer their favorite music finding no matter how unusual or obscure it may seem
100 CLM’S TOP TEN TRACKS
The ultimate monthly list of the best track releases from the last thirty calendar days
102 ADVERTISING INDEX 104 MEDIA CREDITS
100 ATL: CAN’T MISS EVENTS
Look no further! Here is our editor’s list of the thirty best live shows to see in Atlanta for the month of February
cuelamusique.com (COMING SOON)
CONTRIBUTORS
DANIEL SNIDER
DAN BERGER
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF GRAPHIC DESIGNER ATLANTA AREA
ASSOCIATE EDITOR DESIGNER / ARCHITECT CINCINNATI AREA
ATL-based graphic designer and music enthusiast has been longing to create an extensive project such as this and excited to distribute this project among friends, colleagues and future readers alike.
Berger was raised in Lincoln Nebraska, and grew up with an affinity for music while playing a variety of instruments that stretched from classical piano, clarinet, and bass guitar.
Working under the name of Red Flag Promotions, Snider collaborates with a variety of solo artists, bands, venues and businesses outside music on their branding and marketing needs. He has long-term goals to realize this magazine project into a major success while also introducing opportunities to promote and set up bookings with talented acts in Atlanta and other metro areas.
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Earning architecture degrees at both University of Cincinnati and University of Tennessee, he now lives in Cincinnati working in the field. You can catch him at various music venues throughout the area that generally include MOTR, the Southgate House, and the Madison Theater among many others. His most recently attended festivals include Shaky Knees, Forecastle, & Cincinnati’s own Midpoint Music Festival.
BRETT JAGER
Jager was born and raised in N. Kentucky and has worked as a journeyman in sports media relations over the past six years. He attended the University of Louisville and has also worked in Des Moines, Atlanta and Cincinnati, where he recently finished a two-year job with the Cincinnati Bengals. Music is a constant love that drives his compulsive list-making habit, which compares to Rob Gordon from High Fidelity. He attends as many live shows as possible with his like-minded friends.
RICK MENNINGER
Menninger works as an auto body technician while working on higher education as on again/ off-again college student in northern Kentucky. He’s spent basically his entire life in the Bluegrass state and firmly feels that it’s one of the greatest places on earth. While appreciating all things made for a simple life, he is still an active individual with his coalition of close friends. Menninger spends his free time from work in devotion to listening to records, and going to live shows with his pals.
AARON SMART
While spending plenty of time doing AutoCAD work (with his earbuds in) for Abercrombie & Fitch, Smart can be found drinking craft beer and watching soccer, supporting his Columbus Crew and the United States Men’s National Team. Smart is currently working on the launch of Groovescoop with collaborator Jon Thomas. They hope to build a well-connected vinyl community while introducing people to music, hardware, & great ways to get the most out of any listening experience.
GABY MELENDEZ
The native of Puerto Rico is currently working on her masters degree at Georgia Institute of Technology’s College of Architecture and designing solution for urban design and architecture commissions with a local architect. Outside of her academic and professional domain, Melendez actively attends live music shows throughout Atlanta with a close knit group of music enthusiasts. She rejects her culture’s love of reggaeton and trades such genres for psychedelic rock and pop.
JAKE HOLLEMAN
As a lifetime Georgia resident, Holleman grew up with a musical background and has been a drummer and percussionist for a better part of the past decade. While maintaining his passion for jazz, classical, and chess, his recent musical exploits include drumming for Atlanta punk-funk band Shafty and the Taints. Holleman is currently a junior at Georgia Institute of Technology, pursuing a degree in Business Administration.
STEVEN SAPHORE
Steven Saphore was born on a beach and raised with a guitar in the Fiji islands. In the last 5 years, he’s fake press-ID’d his way into shows and music-related around the Pacific, across Australia and now America. If he’s not avoiding the editor, he’s taking photos for ‘World In Infrared’, an art/humanities project that put him on the quest to document the world with a camera hacked to see in the spectrum of infrared light. 3 countries down...190 more to go.
BRENAN WAYLAND
Our youngest contributor is a native Floridian hailing from Gainesville, where he played in a local band with a full-length album under its belt. Wayland is a freshman and singer/songwriter overworking the left hemisphere of his brain studying at Georgia Tech by day, and traveling to the dark recesses of his right brain by night. Though still getting acclimated to living in Atlanta, he has already immersed within the local music scene wholeheartedly and hopes to one day become involved.
ALEX ALTY
Emerging from the swampy combinations of a Floridian childhood and an English heritage comes the powerhouse known only as Alty. Currently he spends most of his time battling wits and dimwits as a student at Georgia Tech, but he is also frequently seen playing around the local Atlanta clubs and open mic nights. While his current academic pursuit aims for a career in electrical engineering, his true passion is music, and he’d like to keep it that way for the rest of his days.
STAFF WRITER MEDIA RELATIONS CINCINNATI AREA STAFF WRITER AUTO BODY TECH N. KENTUCKY AREA
CONTRIBUTING WRITER GROOVESCOOP.COM COLUMBUS AREA CONTRIBUTING WRITER DESIGNER / ARCHITECT ATLANTA AREA CONTRIBUTING WRITER MUSICIAN / ENGINEER ATLANTA AREA CONTRIBUTING WRITER PHOTOJOURNALIST SOUTH PACIFIC AREA CONTRIBUTING WRITER CHEMICAL ENGINEER GAINSVILLE FL AREA CONTRIBUTING WRITER ELECTRICAL ENGINEER GAINSVILLE FL AREA
DIALOGUE
It is with great pleasure that we introduce you to the January / February and second issue of Cue La Musique Magazine: The Nordic Edition. This project is a creative production by graphic designer and fledgling artist promoter Daniel Snider of Red Flag Promotions. Supporting this project is a collective of music savvy enthusiasts and collaborators with a shared desire of providing exceptional music choices with our friends, colleagues, and like-minded individuals. So what led us to produce this magazine? We love music blogs, and we think music magazines are cool, but both formats of discovering new music lack something that the other offers. WIth blogs, there is an absence of narrative to lead you through a curated set of media content, while print and many online magazines generally don’t provide the music that you
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happen to read about. Both are also usually over saturated with tabloid style news that focuses on celebrity over the art of musical expression. We aim to provide readers with real substance and unique content.Those with different tastes to our own may still find auditory solace with the discoveries that we disclose in each issue release. We believe music is a huge component within the human experience that can serve as a window into understanding different cultures and its people. It’s a constant reminder of how beautiful it is to witness human innovation both through expressed word and through the wonderful tools at a musician’s disposal. Music is about as honest of a medium as there is. Get ready to retune your senses.
EDITOR’S NOTE
JAN/FEB 2015 ISSUE II
THE
NORDIC EDITION
Thank you to all of our readers for subscribing to Cue La Musique. For those unfamiliar with this publication from our first issue, be ready to allocate your music listening time to explore the rich, unique music content disclosed in each edition. The second issue, The Nordic Edition, aims the magazine spotlight on some of the brightest up and coming talents from the Nordic nations. While Sweden ranks as the third highest exporter of music in the world, their neighbors in Norway, Denmark, Iceland, and Finland also maintain strong music industries and have an abundance of truly fantastic musicians that are on the verge of earning a massive following outside of Europe. While we introduce our readers to these artists, we also have an exclusive interview with a young viral sensation that hails from Oslo Norway. Electronic producer Bearson takes a little time out of producing remixes and original material to address his background and thoughts on the genre where he currently produces his music. This issue offers plenty of interesting articles, album reviews, a look back to 2014 and the top music of last year, and plenty of audio samples to treat your senses. New to the magazine is our companion Spotify playlist that will allow readers to follow along without the need to scan/click most multimedia links. If a link goes to a music video instead of an audio track, it must be for a good reason so do not miss out.
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BEHIND THE COVER The cover design was inspired by the landscape of Bearson’s native country, Norway, and the music that he produces. His uplifting productions evoke warmth and tropical experiences that seem so distant to the cold, rocky and boreal scandinavian region that serves as his home. The cover design is the editor’s take on fabricating a sense of the tropics within a nordic fjord by imposing a unique set of colors washes over it.
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LEFT: SCOTTISH POST PUNK ROCKERS, THE TWILIGHT SAD, PAID A VISIT TO BOGARTS IN CINCINNATI OHIO DURING THEIR TOUR WITH FELLOW SCOTS, WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS.
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R E C A L L
RECALL
BELOW: LED BY SINGER ADAM GRANDUCIEL, THE WAR ON DRUGS PAID A VISIT TO ATLANTA’S TABERNACLE VENUE FOR A LATE NIGHT EVENT ON 10.16.14.
ABOVE: JOSHUA EPSTEIN OF DALE EARNHARDT JR JR WORKS THE KEYBOARD IN FRONT OF A SPHERICAL PROJECTION SCREEN THAT HAS BECOME AN ACTIVE COMPONENT OF THEIR LIVE STAGE PRODUCTION. THE INDIE POP ACT PLAYED IN ATLANTA’S TERMINAL WEST ON 02.11.14 IN FRONT OF A PASSIONATE CROWD
A REVIEW ACR OSS
THEIR LEGACY written by Katie Fleming edited by Patricia Nicks 14 | cue la musique
FEATURE The politics within a band have been known to divide its fans. “Floyd” followers know this to be true and some choose to become victims of their conflicts, however, others have looked beyond their trivial infighting and take in the music for what it is. It’s pleasing to understand that because when I finally sample The Endless River, the final album to be released under Pink Floyd, my ears attempt to mitigage any potential bias while experiencing a fresh release as if I was back in the 70’s listening to “The Wall” for the first time. Whether or not you and other fans participate in the politics, I do have one recommendation. Set yourself up in a comfortable environment, without distractions, and
follow the music through what almost amounts to a trip through most of Pink Floyd’s work and career. It reaches back and takes you through many of their stops along the way. Hints of The Wall, Dark Side of the Moon, Meddle, Division Bell & Wish You Were Here are all present as each song harkens through their catalogue of concept albums. Each listener will have their own unique take, however, one’s feelings should recall our own Floyd memories, as well as theirs. At first listen, Pink Floyd’s The Endless River is unassuming, and starts off in typical Floyd fashion - slow, atmospheric and full of the signature sound we have all come to be familiar with from these British progressive rock pioneers. as it is filled with ambient, instrumental tracks.
This is a theme that runs through the album, with track titles alluding to the common theme of nonverbal communication (Unsung, Things Left Unsaid, The Lost Art Of Conversation and Louder Than Words). Constructed from material left over from The Division Bell sessions 20 years earlier, it has been resurrected as its current iteration under the auspices of being the Floyd’s swan song, as well as being a tribute to late keyboardist Rick Wright, who passed away in 2008. Previously titled The Big Spliff, these tracks have been taken from the vaults and now presented as the final Floyd album. And I must say, as far final farewells go, this is both a satisfactory yet disheartening release for David Gilmour and Nick Mason to end things on.
“...THESE TRACKS HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM THE VAULTS AND NOW PRESENTED AS THE FINAL FLOYD ALBUM. AND I MUST SAY, AS FAR FINAL FAREWELLS GO, THIS IS BOTH A SATISFACTORY YET DISHEARTENING RELEASE FOR DAVID GILMOUR AND NICK MASON TO END THINGS ON.” - K.F.
The track It’s What We Do begins with rather familiar themes, echoing in the footsteps of Shine On You Crazy Diamond with just a hint of Welcome To The Machine, both from the 1975 release Wish You Were Here.This highlights Wright’s ability and how those classics as well as the current material were linked by and pulled together through his talent as a keyboardist. This fact is evident not only on The Endless River, but the entirety of classic albums such as Dark Side Of The Moon, Meddle, and Wish You Were Here. And it is those longer tracks that are the true highlights of the The Endless River. The track Sum, builds slowly and evoking me-mories of the concert staple and fan favourite One Of These Days from 1971’s Meddle, as well as the more recent Coming Back To Life from 1994. While always an integral component of the Floyd, Mason is showcased on Skins, a short drum solo of sorts. Anisina is a wonderful, uplifting track, soaring in itself, both through
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Wright and Gilmour complementing each other, even managing to conjure up a bit of Us AndThem along the way. But tracks like On Noodle Street and Night Light provoke one to ask “why?’, as there seems to be little substance to them beyond Wright’s presence on the album being its focus. Gilmour’s guitarwork on every track is everything we have come to expect from the veteran rocker, yet again, it seems at times that he is participating in a jam session for us all than it does a Floyd track on several places on this release. The tracks Allons-Y(1), Autumn ’68, and Allons-Y(2) seem to be included here almost as a way to extend the album’s length. And while the Division Bell’s Keep Talking has become a classic track of
FEATURE the band (featuring Stephen Hawking himself ), the song Talkin’ Hawkin’ seems only to be here for no other reason than the eminent professor himself is present. Even his lines are recycled from the previous album’s session 20 years ago, and the track itself comes off more like an outtake from those sessions rather than a Floyd song on its own. It is almost ironic that Talkin’ Hawkin’ has found its way into this album, since it features dialogue that urges us to keep talking. The final song on the album, Louder Than Words, is the only track to feature lyrics sung by David Gilmour. While certainly the biggest highlight of the album, it isn’t the strongest Pink Floyd song that Gilmour has written and recorded in the post-Waters era Floyd. It begins with the familiar sound of bells, reminiscent of 1994’s High Hopes, yet quickly moves into its own style, again suggesting that this was almost simply a song that had been left off the last studio release. With lyrics written again by Gilmour’s wife Polly Samson, who had a hand in previous tracks, it gives us exactly the kind of song that we have been missing since the last notes of the final Floyd tour were played. Some have speculated that the song on some level speaks to the tumultuous relationship Gilmour and company had with Roger Waters after his departure in 1985, or even his insistence of the firing of Rick Wright from the band back in The Wall’s recording period (‘We bitch and we fight, diss each other on sight…’), however Gilmour himself has denied that this is the case, stating plainly that ‘at this point it’s a little late to be conjuring up Roger.’ This is by no means a bad song, but it does raise the question as to why couldn’t there have been further tracks on the album that showcase and celebrate Rick Rick Wright’s talent while simultaneously featuring additional lyrical content as well.
While a capable album release and certainly a fitting bookend to a career that started in the 1960’s with The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, I will say that The Endless River is not without its shortcomings either. Perhaps if Gilmour had added more vocal work to additional tracks here, it would feel a bit more inspired and a bit less like an album of filler material. While several tracks are quite enjoyable on their own, the album feels more like a Rick Wright solo album and less like a Pink Floyd album in some places. Wright’s abilities and musicianship are certainly never in question, leading to this being a
very capable an apt send off for Rick, but as a sendoff for the band as a whole it pales in comparison to Division Bell. If fans of the band are looking for something mind-blowing or redefining like Dark Side Of The Moon or The Wall, what they will find instead is an album that isn’t as comparable to its legendary predecessors. That being said, this doesn’t mean that it won’t be an enjoyable experience. The album is understated and modest, harkening back to many different periods of the bands career in places, but mostly reminiscent of the Gilmour-led era of Floyd. While David has said that this was created from the best of what was left from the previous album’s sessions, he has also said that this may not be the last we heard from Rick necessarily, as Gilmour is now focusing on his own music and currently working on his fourth solo album. It seems at times, particularly with nine tracks that are under the 2 minute mark in length, that Gilmour and Mason struggled to create a full album with what session material had been left over. Even a few of the track titles are unfortunate and lacking in imagination (ie On Noodle Street, Talkin’ Hawkin’, Untitled), leading one to believe that perhaps the idea behind this album was driven by less of a desire to truly create some final original Floyd and more of a desire to fulfill a need to simply put something out there that bears the name Pink Floyd. Still, for the die-hard Floyd fan, this is a must have release, and it does compliment the band’s catalogue nicely, and it will satisfy the needs of some of the more casual fans of the band as well.
TITLE: PINK FLOYD - Louder Than Words ALBUM: THE ENDLESS RIVER
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For those who elect to spend a bit more and spring for the deluxe edition (along with the album on CD, also comes with a DVD or Blu-ray, with the entire album in 5.1 Dolby Surround sound, two post cards, and a hardcover picture book of images of Dave, Rick and Nick etc.), the supplemental material is mostly of interest to more of the hard-core fan than the casual listener. The video for Anisina features a rather roughshod looking Gilmour at the piano playing, while various footage from The Division Bell recording sessions is shown to accompany, mostly simple things of the Floyd and company recording or sitting around. Additional videos are simply rough footage of the band in jam sessions from 1993. While nothing compared to previous audio/visual efforts (The Wall featuring Bob Geldof as Pink or the Earl’s Court performances as seen in the PULSE video release), it is still worth watching to see them all one last time again, particularly Rick.
12.09.14 / 20th CENTURY THEATER, CINCINNATI OHIO
THE LONE BELLOW by Dan Berger As a consistent indie rock concert-goer, the country scene is relatively new territory for me. I had a taste of it at Shaky Knees Music Festival, in Atlanta this past spring, but rarely at a small, intimate show. I walked into a very different crowd at the 20th
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Century Theater than normal. Instead of kids and hipsters, the gathering of people ran the gamut from middle-aged couples to older gents with beards and cowboy hats. Hoots and holler and stomps replaced the screams and cheers of a younger crowd.
The Lone Bellow is formed by three members, who often sing via three-part harmony, and finish the set of a two-band show. Opener Robert Ellis is a singer/ song-writer who stood alone on the stage, playing his guitar while the dull roar of the crowd
LIVE REVIEW sometimes overpowering the soft strums and powerful vocals of an otherwise fine performance. The Lone Bellow followed the opening act with a riveting performance, in a nearly fully booked crowd at 20th Century Theater, in the Oakley neighborhood of Northern Cincinnati. The band hails from Brooklyn, where country music is not a common style to come out of a New York borough, yet all three members originate from the south. They blend country, folk, and blues into their music, with an almost Crosby, Stills, and Nash three-part harmony. THE LONE BELLOW, WHO JUST RELEASED A BRAND NEW ALBUM ON JANUARY, ARE A GENUINE BAND WITH A LOT OF LOVE FOR THEIR AUDIENCE AND EVEN MORE FOR THE MUSIC THEY PLAY. - D.B.
The slight Kanene Pipkin (on mandolin), broad shouldered Brian Elmquist on acoustic guitar, and emotive front-man Zach Williams took the stage with their 2-man backing band, and begins with “Emotional” which starts with little but a strumming guitar and the lead singer, Zach’s voice. As is the case with a few of their songs, the melody and verses build with instruments and harmonies are added to the track as it moves along. From singing softly together to belting out and holding a note for what seems like forever, the uniqueness of their three part harmonies is the variety in which they use their voices. Often one member will take the lead during verses, like in “You Don’t Love Me Like You Used To,” while the other two will act as back up singers. During the choruses, the band members sing equally. The lead singer’s enthusiasm at one point is so intense that he pulls his microphone from its chord. It might have bothered a crowd at a different show, but the crowd was so into it that they couldn’t have cared less. Crowd favorite Zach introduces songs by giving credit to the songwriter on stage, only to proud to portray the band as a collective. The band also interacts with the crowd and echoes back and forth at times, with the lead singer even venturing into the crowd for one of the tracks. About ¾ of the way through the
set, the band began to introduce one another, and an impromptu jam session broke out with a 90s tune being played by each member was mentioned. From “All My Life” by Boyz 2 Men to “You’re the Only One For Me” by Brian McKnight, the band embraced a few 2 minute covers of each song, laughing as if they don’t normally don’t break from their normal setlist. A raucous encore ended the show, with a roaring audience cheering their approval. The three band members also showed up in the lobby after the show, to sign records and take pictures with the few fans that stuck around to see them. The Lone Bellow, who just released a brand new album on January, are a genuine band with a lot of love for their audience and even more for the music they play.
01.31.15 / TERMINAL WEST, ATLANTA GEORGIA
by GABY MELENDEZ The music of Nika Danilova seems almost designed to take an audience back to her childhood and the bitter cold winters found in northern parts of the world, such as her home state of Wisconsin. Her new release, Taiga, is specifically titled as such, using the Russian word for the expansive boreal forests
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of the north that encroached on her family’s hundred acre property. Maybe this is why it seems so suitable for her to appear in a viral video five days prior that captures her singing her single “Nail” outside on the snow covered roads of Brooklyn in front of the music venue St. Vitus. She was performing at the venue and
encouraged the crowd to brave the conditions outside for a one of a kind a capella performance. This sort of spontaneity is thetype of trait that really excites a fan prior to seeing her perform for the first time. On the last day of the first month, Danilova’s Zola Jesus act came to
LIVE REVIEW Atlanta Georgia for a performance at Terminal West. Unfortunately we were unable to see the first opening act, Death Domain, however we did get a chance to catch LA based (Angel) Deradoorian, formerly of the Dirty Projectors and contributor to Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks release. Working like a dark primer before Zola Jesus could wash the venue with her piercing vocals, Deradoorian’s psychedelic jams were intricately weaved through the harmonious vocals, contrasting greatly in context while maintaining the colorful back and forth vocals that were commonplace in past projects. Zola Jesus began the set with a predictably fitting introduction, the title track Taiga, which sounds predestined for such a role. The buildup was all vocals, bass, and trombone before the drum machine came into the fray allowing her to break into an unorthodox yet natural dance while she vocalizes into the distance. Unlike many live performers, Danilova glances into the audience with very strong eye contact seemingly trying to make out faces to understand the demographic makeup in attendance. As she began her lead single, Dangerous Days, from Taiga, she walked across the front of the stage, shaking hands and acknowledging as many fans as she could before peaking at the chorus. Dust is her most R&B influenced song of the night, with minimal but
heavy beats backing vocals originally done as an a capella track. Hunger is one of my least favorite tracks of Taiga, however, a live performance summons a dynamic take on the song as the trombone and percussion features heavily to turn this song into her most danceable of the evening. The haunting intro of Go (Blank Sea) goes into the opposite direction of danceable before the chorus leads to a chanting crowd that is so caught up with Danilova’s stage presence. NIGHT IMMACULATELY DEMONSTRATES HER PROVEN VOCAL RANGE WHICH PERMEATES INTO EVERYTHING IT REACHES. - G.M.
In between the following five songs, she gave a shout out to Run The Jewels and proclaiming our luck that Killer Mike is an ATLien, and descended off stage and danced among the crowd as she sang Hollow. Nail began a capella before her percussionist brought the song to life where Zola Jesus engaged the crowd to chant “Set Me Free”. Night immaculately demonstrates her proven vocal range which permeates into everything it reaches. Prior to a short encore, this was an epic last song that fostered a soft spoken “fuck yeah” from the guy beside me. Zola Jesus returned to perform Skin and Vessel, with its churning, industrial sounds providing a memorable rhythm and beat as she sung the melancholy chorus
“And it surrounds everything / And it surrounds all your dreams / and it will take you to / fears you never knew.” Zola Jesus, with her ranging discography and new release of Taiga, offers a lot more through a live performance with her jarring vocals intertwining pounding dark melodies, and relentless engagement with her audience serves all with an outstanding night.
lithefsepbienhdleindbars atl.com
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FEATURE
THE NORDIC EDITION
surging artists to watch
SURGING
Live performance of Seinabo Sey at Oslo’s Rådhusplassen Top 20 event in June, 2014
SEINABO SEY by Dan Berger
“Younger” begins with an organ and Seinabo Sey singing, with the song building with electronic vocals and apexes with violins and a drumline beat. Her use of different genre elements to create a still cohesive song already proves her song-
writing chops and ingenuity. The rest of the EP is filled with more pop beats and soulful swooning from the singer, with keyboards tying the album together for a unified set of tracks. Based on the relatively quick and collectively positive reviews of her singles and live performances, Seinabo Sey is building a case to be one of the next progressive electronic artists to come out of Sweden, and her early efforts bode well for her future music endeavors.
TITLE: SEINABO SEY - Younger ALBUM: FOR MADELEINE
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Seinabo Sey is a young Swedish musician who mixes soul music with electronic flourishes. Her debut single “Younger,” as well as “Hard Time” and “Pistols at Dawn” saw her popularity and publicity rise in Sweden, all receiving critical acclaim beginning in November of 2013. She performed at the Swedish Grammy Awards in 2014, and released her first EP, For Madeline, later that year in October.
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Elliphant performs during the Urban Art Forms Festival at the Red Bull Music Academy stage, Austria on July 5th, 2014
by Daniel Snider
Following a summer trip to the UK where the London dubstep and urban scenes influenced
her own musical style, she returned to Sweden showing immense skills as a MC. Now as a member of TEN Music Group, the synthpop artist sings and raps hit singles with the likes of Danish singer MO, David Guetta, and Skrillex. This past fall, she embarked as the opening act on Charli XCX’s Girl Power North America Tour. Her sound has been rightly compared to the works of Diplo and MIA. The random events that led to her new career path has her feeling without anything to lose so she lives with unswerving honesty, wild stage presence, and disregard for political correctness. Sample these top notch singles, “Down on Life” & “All Or Nothing”.
TITLE: ELLIPHANT - All or Nothing ALBUM: LOOK LIKE YOU LOVE IT
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The fascinating thing about Ellinor Olovsdotter, better known as Elliphant, is that she stumbled into becoming the highly sought after performer that she is today. Over three years ago, she was a decade into her life of bussing tables in the restaurant industry of her native Stockholm Sweden. A chance encounter with Jungle producer Tim Deneve in 2011 changed her entire future. She was asked by her friend to layer vocals over some new beat samples and much to her own surprise, she carried a great voice that required further opportunities.
SURGING
Highasakite’s Ingrid Helene Håvik leads on vocals with her bandmates at the Oslo festival, Hovefestivalen, in July 2014
HIGHASAKITE by Daniel Snider
welcomes all sorts of listeners. They came together in 2011 and released their debut album, All That Floats Will Rain, the following year where it reached #16 on the Norwegian Albums Chart. Their sophomore LP, Silent Treatment, went public in February 2014 and reached the number #1 spot in the national charts, with critics deeming it the second best release of the year. This recognition also led to being awarded the Bendiksenprisen, a national cultural prize that endorses the most promising Norwegian popular music acts of each year. Check their epic hit “Leaving No Traces” below.
TITLE: HIGHASAKITE - Leaving No Traces ALBUM: SILENT TREATMENT
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While most of their touring has primarily occurred at home, around Europe and Australia, make no mistake that critically acclaimed Norwegian indie pop act Highasakite are on the verge of bigger things so expect a North American tour in the near future. Hailing from the Norwegian capitol of Oslo, the five piece group is led by vocalist and songwriter Ingrid Helene Håvik. Drawing heavily from folk and 80s music, their sound is an ever looping dance of blissful harmonies and interweaving melodies from a wide array of instruments. From steel drums, flugabones, autoharps, to French horns, their hypnotic patterns phase in and out of chord structures as they construct a calm, reflective ambience that
SURGING
ceo by Brett Jager
It begins with banger “Whorehouse”- which is undoubtedly one of the highlight tracks of the al-
bum — with loud, driving drums and synths and a very singable chorus. A myriad of vocal samples are used throughout the album, and this is quite evident on the opening two tracks. The centerpiece and absolute high point of the album for me is the title track, “Wonderland.” It’s a song that grabbed me from the first listen and really stuck throughout the entirety of the year, finishing as a top five track. It has a very fresh and upbeat sound right from the first note and never dies. In that sense, and fittingly so, the title track personally serves as a microcosm for the entire album.
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Swedish musician and former member of The Tough Alliance, Eric Berglund, came out strong this past February with his second album release, Wonderland. It was undoubtedly my favorite album of the first three months of 2014. It may be an electronic album but make no mistake that many of its tracks are infused with certain levels of pop. Wonderland creates just that for the listener--a wonderland--a fantasy world of sorts, to immerse and lose yourself for 33 minutes. It’s a beautiful escapism, seesawing from dream to nightmare, light to dark.
SURGING
MR LITTLE JEANS
SEKUOIA
by Gaby Melendez
by Gaby Melendez
MR. LITTLE JEANS ALBUM: POCKETKNIFE TRACK: The Suburbs
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“Good Mistake” and her breakout cover for Arcade Fire’s “The Suburbs” reflect her synth-based dance-pop tunes with hints of rock, reaching millions of plays across YouTube and Soundcloud, which has led to her music being licensed for blockbuster movie soundtracks, tv advertisements, and television. She eventually relocated to Los Angeles and released her debut album, Pocketknife, through Harvest Records last year.
The electronic project of experimental producer Patrick Alexander Bech-Madsen, aka Sekuoia, is one with so much upside that the prestigious Roskilde Festival invited him last year despite being relatively new to live performances. He retreated to his rehearsal room and prepared lengthier, fuller tracks that would eventually become many of his newest singles of 2014. The young Dane‘s lingering electronica echoes both dubstep and atmospheric ambient music where dry beats, synth washes and repeated vocal bits combine the organic and electronic in a dreamy soundscape. With the label Project: Mooncircle, Sekuoia’s future should be immense.
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Hailing from a Norwegian maritime town, electropop songwriter Monika Birkenes has introduced her exceptional voice and often whimsical lyrics under the name of Mr. Little Jeans, pseudonym inspired from one of the characters in the Wes Anderson movie “Rushmore”.
SURGING
ANNA OF THE NORTH by Aaron Smart
After highly acclaimed performances throughout 2014 at events like Iceland Airwaves and Eurosonic Festival in Groningen, Netherlands, much is expected of the Icelandic electronica trio known as VÖK.
VÖK ALBUM: SINGLE / 11.14 TRACK: Tension
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The young band was founded in 2013 where they immediately garnered attention in their homeland after victory at Músíktilraunir, the Icelandic battle of the bands. Their sound has been likened to The XX and The Knife, as their dreamy soundscapes are layered with melodic vocals and distant saxophones and guitars play. After the release of their debut EP, Tension, they signed with Musebox Records and are scheduled to release their first LP later this Spring.
Look out! 25 year old Oslo native Anna Lotterud has exciting potential. She started working on her music last spring, and continues to generate new but has been working each day since to create new content. She met her producer Brady Daniell-Smith at one of his shows in Melbourne and quickly started a working relationship that must have sparked a commitment to music. After covering a 1996 Donna Lewis song as her first release, she signed with label Haaland, Eidsvåg & Strøm in Norway and Brooklyn singles label Honeymoon. Her first original single “Sway” came out in June and has been remixed by the likes of The Chainsmokers & et aliae. She has the makings to become a glittery synthpop star.
ANNA OF THE NORTH ALBUM: SINGLE / 12.14 TRACK: Oslo
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by Daniel Snider
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As one of the rising stars of Norwegian music and with a dedicated fan base that exceeds twenty five thousand followers on Soundcloud, Bearson enters this new year with a promising future that is matched by his production prowess
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udden and momentary trends in popular music have been in existence as far back as any of us can remember. This is certainly true for electronic and house music where new subgenres seem to appear every few years. Some recent examples include dubstep and trap while tropical house can easily make a claim as the top breakout style of 2014. How long its popularity lasts is yet to be determined, however, its wider appeal to listeners rather than just clubgoers, as a style akin to juiced up ambient music, gives it every opportunity to persevere. As a subgenre among many under the House music umbrella, its viral nature emerged through Australian producer Thomas Jack’s mixtape “Tropical House Vol. 1”. In just nine months, six different volumes have been released, with three of the last four featuring other up and coming acolytes of tropical and deep house, including Kygo and Klingande. Unfortunately, one can argue that the close association between these artists has led to a lack of originality among their remixes and artist tracks. Coming from outside this fraternity, we
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find arguably the most talented of all the producers under this style. From Oslo, Norway, comes 19 year old Jakob Bjørn-Hansen, who performs under the artist name of Bearson. In less than a year, he rose from obscurity to produce some of the most viral underground remixes of 2014 that garnered over ten million plays between Youtube and Soundcloud. His success with each release can be attributed to his patience with tracks and eagerness to deviate from established means by varying track tempos to match his choices for instrument samples. After producing an album’s worth of different remixes, including James Bay’s hit “Let It Go”, Bearson released his first artist single, “Pink Medicine”, just before Christmas, which vaulted him to the top of Hype Machine’s charts as the most viral artist track for several consecutive days. In advance of landing under a larger spotlight, Bearson took a moment to speak with us about himself personally and everything else that makes him the artist he is.
SPOTLIGHT
Interview by DANIEL SNIDER
SPOTLIGHT
You just had quite an amazing year for yourself! Despite this, the public seems to know very little about you. Please introduce yourself to our readers.
JBH: I’m a 19-year-old kid, born and raised in Norway’s capital, Oslo. Very average dude with a huge passion for producing electronic music. I’ve always been a music enthusiast, but it wasn’t until I discovered my love for electronic music in 2010 I started producing myself. In June 2011 I was introduced to Ableton Live by a couple of friends in middle school, and I instantly fell in love. There’s nothing I love more than sitting by alone in my room and produce multiple hours straight. The word tropical has lately become associated with a lot of new music. Your own music is generally categorized under this umbrella. How would Bearson’s tropics be described? Do these cliche sounds of Summer encourage you to discover new musical inspiration in other places?
JBH: As you’re stating, tropical has become an association to a lot of music for the past year. I don’t think I ever meant to fall into a specific genre, nor do I want to stick to the same genre forever. Personally, the “tropical house” genre has bored me for the past 4 months, and I don’t find it inspiring. I wish for my listeners to be open-minded to new sounds from song to song. Which artists did you look up to when you were younger and who inspires you today as musician?
JBH: I’ve been into literally every genre there is. I’ve listened to everything from glam metal to Britney Spears. One of my favorite artists throughout the years has been Kanye West. I was a die-hard fan of his for a long time. Moving over to electronic music specifically in 2010/2011, I’ve been a great fan of Flume. As of today, some of my biggest inspirations are Porter Robinson, Gold Panda, M83 and Ryan Hemsworth. Did the emergence of tropical house inspire you to slip into this genre or was it an experience like a vacation or something you saw?
JBH: To be honest, I’m not sure. I think I accidental-
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ly fell into the genre. I think it was just an interesting sound that I wanted to do my take on. Over the past months I’ve found new inspirations and I’m slowly but surely starting to discover what feels the realest to me. What’s the music scene like in Oslo? Do you have a particular venue in the city or elsewhere in Norway that you absolutely love to perform?
JBH: The scene is pretty cool with quite a few underground clubs, but to get into most of them you have to be 20+. Jaeger, Blaa and The Villa are some of the ones that are worth mentioning. I was lucky enough to play at Blaa in June last year, and I’m playing at Jaeger the 21st of January. That’s the easiest way for me to get into those clubs, haha!
SPOTLIGHT
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In today’s world buying a song or streaming it can be such a mundane activity however the act of actually buying a physical product is a testament to how much you like it. What was your first ever CD purchase?
JBH: I believe one of the first CDs I bought was by Bomfunk MC’s. I was obsessed with “Freestyler”, like most kids at that time – right? Have you had the chance to perform outside of your home country? Where would you like to go?
JBH: I haven’t yet. My first show ever was a warm up for Thomas Jack in Oslo with my fellow Norwegian producer Jerry Folk. We literally learned how to mix the weekend before the show. Since then I’ve become a lot more confident on my mixing, and played at several festivals in Norway (including Hove Festival). In 2015, I’m hoping to play as many places outside of Norway as possible. USA, France, England, Canada are countries I know I have a solid following, so those would be natural places to begin. Do you play any classical instruments like the acoustic guitar, xylophone or piano? If so do you apply those talents in a direct way to your music?
JBH: I can’t say I have a talent with any classical instruments, but I’ve played guitar from time to time. I’ve recently picked it up, and I will probably use it to record some real instruments as they add a nice vibe to my productions. If you had the chance to collaborate with any group on a future release, who would you choose and why? Would you call this decade a golden age for Norwegian music with the emergence of Susanne Sundfør, Todd Terje, and many others?
JBH: That would probably have to be CHVRCHES, their vibe is too cool! I love the synth pop style, and I think it would be an interesting match. I definitely think Norway’s onto what you can call a “golden age”...the rest of the world is starting to catch
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SPOTLIGHT
‘‘I definitely think Norway‘s onto what you
can call a golden age as the rest of the world is starting to catch up with all the amazing talent that‘s emerging here.‘‘ - Jakob Bjørn Hansen
up with all the amazing talent that’s emerging here. Producers like Todd Terje, Cashmere Cat and Kygo have helped a lot to make other Norwegian artists get noticed. Do you anticipate Bearson evolving into other genres in the future?
JBH: That’s a really tough question, as I didn’t picture my style going in the direction it is right now. I’m constantly inspired by new sounds, and I want it to be that way. If I were to force myself to produce a specific style, I’d most likely end up not loving what I do. But as of right now, my sound can be described as melodic, down beat and organic. The future will show how my sound evolves, and I don’t have a clue yet myself. To follow Jakob, check out his Bearson profiles through one of the following links:
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ROYKSOPP THE INEVITABLE END INTERSCOPE 11.17.2014 RELEASE
My journey as a follower of Norwegian electronic gurus Röyksopp began 14 years ago with the release of their debut album, Melody A.M. It took one single, Eple, to ensure my loyalty. They were one of my guilty pleasures and remained out of the
spotlight until 2006 when GEICO licensed their five year old track “Remind Me” to accompany the caveman as he traveled through an airport on a moving walkway prior to passing a sign that read “So easy a caveman can do it.” It was arguably their most successful TV ad ever and its mainstream
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2014 was a momentous year for the Bergen-based duo. They took a slight detour to deliver the collaborative mini-album, Do It Again, with Swedish pop singer Robyn. Released in May and lauded as a commercial and critical success, it prompted a 2015 Grammy nomination for Best Electronic / Dance album. The experience shaped their fittingly titled final album, “The Inevitable End.” Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland proclaim their
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by DANIEL SNIDER
recognition led to the duo gaining the closest thing to mainstream attention that they have ever experienced. A year prior to the GEICO commercial, they dropped their second album, The Understanding, which may be their most experimental release to date. Their broad range was fully evident, as this release also established their pattern of recycling the theme of growth when creating content and naming their works. In 2009, they issued an extroverted third LP, pop tinged Junior, prior to ultimately distributing a more conservative edition, Senior, that following year.
ALBUM REVIEW
“I Had This Thing” offers its most danceable and marketable single that could easily morph into a host of fresh new remixes. The remaining tracks seesaw in The opening two tracks, pace and continue to do Skulls and the reworked so after the last remaining single Monument from their highlight, Running To the partnership with Robyn, Sea, which is majestically dive right into recognition sung by Norwegian vocalist of their lasting legacy with Suzanne Sundfør. “Thank synthesized, cult-like chants You” signs the LP off with exclaiming statements like the duo’s expression of appreciation. A second disc is included with “SOURCING VARIOUS FEELINGS the album, which offers five bonus tracks; all OF LOSS AND THE PASSING OF being instrumentals with LIVES,THE INEVITABLE END exception to the RYXP PRESENTS ITSELF AS A SINCERE, remix version of Do It Again. It acts as a great PERSONAL, AND RETROSPECTIVE transition between both EXTENSION TO THEIR PORTFOLIO.“ albums of 2014.
In respect to patiently timing their releases, Torbjørn says, “We feel there’s a lot of music out there that just doesn’t have any identity - (it is) something that we really strive for in our music,” with Svein adding, “We don’t feel like we’re in any hurry; we intend to make music we cannot find elsewhere – which is both ambitious and time consuming.” The Inevitable End was released this past November. So why did they decide to finish with this album? “We feel like this is a goodbye to the traditional album format,” explains Svein. “In our consecutive run of albums, we have been able to say what we want to say and do what we want
to do with the LP. We’re not going to stop making music, but the album format as such, this is the last thing from us.”
“This will be my monument... this will be a beacon when I’m gone”. Both prove that they can produce electropop belters with or without a vocal collaborator. Sordid Affair is a favorite of mine with its amplifying melodies that layer behind a balancing act of dark lyrics with Ryan James’ uplifting vocals. Its sound is clearly a throwback to their earliest takes on electronic music.
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Everyone needs to hear The Inevitable End. It appeals to plenty of listeners, and if Röyksopp truly feels that they have mastered the album format then I can grasp the idea of closing out with such a stunning piece of work. Hopefully this change means more experimentation and further exceptional content in the near future.
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fervent intention to never repeat themselves, however, they confirmed that writing songs with Robyn on Do It Again had an effect on the themes and stronger lyrical content on their final LP. Sourcing feelings of loss and the passing of various lives, The Inevitable End presents itself as a sincere, personal, and retrospective extension to their portfolio.
by ALEX ALTY Tv On the Radio’s 2014 album Seeds displays a band that has very much found its comfort zone. Many of the tracks rely on repetitive rhythmic and melodic sections that drone and grow towards some grand emotive moment in
HARVEST RECORDS 11.17.2014 RELEASE is then furthered by the juxtaposition of the French and English lyrics. Opening the English verse with the line “I know it’s best to say goodbye,” Adebimpe sets the scene for a loner’s swan song. However, this message is confused by the lyrics in the chorus which chant “I will care for you, careful you.” Adebimpe is simultaneously advocating love yet warning against trust in anyone but yourself. Clearly he has been spited by a former love and feels lost in the aftermath. This sentiment is also evident in the individual composition of the tracks. They blend together and become indistinguishable due to their lack of structural variety, a pattern that is reflected in the lyrics as well.
which the lead singer, Tunde Adebimpe, reveals his real disdain for modern romance. For instance, the single Careful You describes the rift inherent in any relationship: the battle between the self and the whole. The opening duality of the stereo-panned synthesizers establishes a feeling of divisiveness. This
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There are multiple instances where he is simply repeating a word or phrase to the point of annoyance. However, he turns this paradigm on its head by taking advantage of multiple homonyms across the album. We are beginning to see past the veneer of this work and into its deeper metaphorical meaning, but perhaps the message lies a little too far down the rabbit
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TV ON THE RADIO SEEDS
ALBUM REVIEW
It feels like a lackluster follow up to the audio/video masterpiece that was Nine Types of Light. Perhaps the band just wanted to continue making music with no grand messages, but from a group that is usually so careful with its sonic intent this feels like a phone-in. Were they trying to create an easily digestible synth-pop album? Or were they trying to critique the very nature of the music
is all speculation, yet I would not put it past these fine musicians to create something that meta. There is the issue with a band taking this sort of stance though as it then becomes difficult to identify between true artistic expression and laziness. This is why the album as a whole confuses me so I am stuck wanting to find deeper meaning that may not exist
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at all. Was this intentional so as to create a feeling similar to the aftermath of a difficult break-up? Am I trying so desperately to enjoy this album that I have overanalyzed its complexity? Has pop music finally won? I honestly don’t know what to believe anymore, and in this way the album is a screaming success. However, I still wouldn’t say that I throughly enjoyed Seeds. Instead of offering the usual reprise that I seek within music I am left deeply unnerved. As evident within this review, I have many questions unanswered. Maybe I am simply witnessing the slow decline of a band that I love, which is a profoundly sorrowful sight. Or perhaps we are witnessing a growth and logical change within the independent musical world. A change leading to perpetual irony within music as a whole. Have we as an indie culture finally transgressed truth into a world of unending sarcasm of nothing meaning anything? Or are these seeds just duds? You be the judge.
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hole. The band members scene as it exists nowadays? had agreed to go on hiatus I prefer to believe the latter, after the release of their and with this point of view fourth studio album to focus the album Seeds really on their personal lives as well begins to flower. It feels as as their individual careers. if Adebimpe and the rest However, they began to of the band have become meet up and, by all accounts, despondent with the ways of “absent-mindedly” started to the world of music. Creativity create an album. They is no longer valued, instead are quoted saying that in we champion conformity, no way was it made with and their response was to minimal effort, but after you create an album that speaks have spent so much time of this lack of variety. This composing with the same group of minds “I HAVE MANY QUESTIONS LEFT it becomes similar UNANSWERED. MAYBE I AM JUST to muscle memory. I WITNESSING THE SLOW DECLINE OF would say that this is A BAND THAT I LOVE, WHICH IS A blatantly obvious in the PROFOUNDLY SORROWFUL SIGHT. fact that the album as OR PERHAPS WE ARE WITNESSING A a whole has none of GROWTH AND CHANGE WITHIN THE the trademark vigor of INDEPENDENT MUSICAL WORLD.” previous TVOTR albums.
ARIEL PINK POM POM
4AD 11.17.2014 RELEASE 70 minute, 17 track odyssey that’s as weird and beautiful as it is long. Anyone who’s ever listened to Pink’s past efforts will know that he is well known for two things: his mastery of the pop music genre, and his irreverent sense of humor. It’s the constant shift between these two vastly separate skills that have led listeners to love (and hate) his music. On Pom Pom, we find Pink once again dancing the line between a lovelorn singer/songwriter and a mad court jester. However, he’s managed to fuse the two seamlessly, and often during the same track, to produce a sensational pop album that is arguably his finest.
Ariel Marcus Rosenberg is widely known to be a very polarizing individual. Is he a genius or a lunatic? Is he a hopeless romantic or a misogynistic asshole? Is he 21 or just some douche bag from Los Angeles? The answer to these questions is
undoubtedly yes. He is all of these things at the same time; and that only begins to slightly scratch the surface of oddball troubadour known as Ariel Pink. On Pom Pom, his latest offering, Pink has dropped the Haunted Graffiti moniker and teamed up with an eccentric slew of guest musicians to craft a
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by RICK MENNINGER
Introductory single “Put Your Number in my Phone” is a fine example of his bizarre marriage of style. We find Pink poetically crooning over a shimmery bit of 60’s pop-rock in a situation that is instantly relatable to everyone. It’s hard enough for most of us to simply strike up a conversation with someone newlet alone have the daring to ask for their phone number. But this song
ALBUM REVIEW
This sort of playfulness is found in spades on Pom Pom. “Nude Beach a Go Go” is a delightful surf rock romp that takes an interesting jab at every single 60’s beach party film anthem. The album opener “Plastic Raincoats In The Pig Parade” is a trippy, nonsensical journey through a make believe land filled with cocaine, Berettas, and an individual named Lady Umbrella. All of which take place under an Arkansas moon in the city of Tokyo? The narrative behind these tracks is up to the viewer to determine, which adds a very fun layer to songs that are undeniably catchy.
Another significant album highlight is “White Freckles,” an upbeat new wave jam that finds Ariel wondering about the cause of a woman’s skin pigmentation. For every bit of playfulness dropped on us though, there’s an equal amount of darkness or doom that provides a spectacular duality to the album. The listener is constantly left in a state of flux as to what the tone of the album really is.
“THE NARRATIVE BEHIND THESE TRACKS IS UP TO THE VIEWER TO DETERMINE, WHICH ADDS A VERY FUN LAYER TO SONGS THAT ARE UNDENIABLY CATCHY. ” On “Lipstick,” Pink details being on two sides of a murder, both as a witness and a hunter. As he sings, “shower me in blood, child. Shower me in lipstick” we get a taste of Ariel’s more twisted sensibilities. “Not Enough Violence” is equally as debaucherous, with our storyteller cryptically singing about “penetration time” among gothic new w ave instrumentation as well as a
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chilling synthline. From each of these darker instances we seem to catch a glimpse of sex and sour relationships conjuring up very ugly and animalistic thoughts within the human psyche. Pom Pom’s strengths as an album are plentiful. Lyrically there’s enough here to reward the listeners with hours of introspection as to what these peculiar tales could possibly be about. From an instrumental standpoint, it’s equally as rewarding. While Ariel Pink may have ditched his former lo-fi & baroque stylings for a very refined and glitzy effort, all together the wild combinations displayed here make for one hell of an album, and one that is easily a major highlight in 2014.
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wonderfully conveys the multitude of emotions one can feel during that situation. It’s a wonderful sentiment... until the song is about finished and we cut to a bizarre interlude involving Pink’s mystery lady inquiring to his answering machine about why he won’t answer his phone. For someone to exhibit such raw emotion mixed with such gloom is oddly endearing because we’ve all been there at some time or another.
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I wanted to do this review because I have listened to Yo La Tengo casually over the years, but never dug deep enough into their back catalog to find what I missed when I was a younger. This re-release gave me a great excuse to buy more vinyl and
listen to a classic that I didn’t know was a classic. Certainly I’m glad that I did. This album was great for me because I can zone out and get lost in all the noise and distortion and then stroll away as I hum the melodies, which are at times blended into their guitar effects or
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Yo La Tengo is celebrating thirty years of history. You may wonder why they chose this album from 1993, the sixth out of thirteen studio albums as the one to rerelease. I managed to find quite a few crucial factors that made this a significant album for them. Husband and wife duo Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley went through a myriad of bass players before finding James McNew prior to this release. The trio signed to Matador and worked with producer Roger Moutenot for the first time. The association with Matador was massive due to its partnership with Atlantic Records, which afforded the
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sometimes in the forefront chords. The album has some dream-like soundscapes as well as some straightforward jams. After a few listens, I think this album definitely made some of the defining sounds of the nineties. See for yourself if this doesn’t sound just as good today. My recommended tracks that I think most people can appreciate are “Big Day Coming” (yes, they made two versions), “From A Motel 6” and “Nowhere Near.”
ALBUM REVIEW
Although Painful was actually McNew’s second album as a member of Yo La Tengo, this album offers listeners a dynamic shift in their sound. His contributions on bass were fully galvanized as a key element that backed the sensibilities of his bandmates while saving him from being just a third wheel like previous bass players. Their preceding sound fluctuated like a seesaw between sedative noisepop and muted folky ballads to apache-beat driven rock music that utilizes droning reverberations to contrast Hubley’s frank vocals in a wistful daze and inspiring Kaplan’s affably sounded inflections. I came across a few quotes from Kaplan himself that imply this was certainly the first time that they realized themselves as
a band. Here is one of his quotes from the Matador’s website, “Anyone who ever said they liked our older records more than Painful, I just told them they’re wrong.” They have been building on this record ever since. Whether you know the album or not, I would say the
re-release is worth picking up for all of the bonus material. It gives you some more insight into the band’s creative vision. The first disc is the original release of Painful. The second disc in this set is a mix of 10 demos (some unreleased) and live tracks. There is also a download code for 15 extra tracks. You can find
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three unreleased songs from the original sessions recording Painful. The vinyl also came with some fun goodies. My favorites are the exact reproduction of the 7” “Shaker” single and the Yo La Tengo band-aid stickers! Checking out this re-release inspired me to start revisiting the three decades worth of music they have created, so I have some work to do! It seems like this Hoboken, New Jersey band has done everything on their own terms for a long time, so I am excited to see what they do next. Formats: 1. Double LP + 7” + download coupon with extra tracks + goodies 2. Double CD + download coupon with extra tracks 3. Digital release comes in FLAC and MP3 formats, does NOT include download coupon for bonus tracks
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band its widest distribution potential. The establishment of these relationships helped guide the path for all these years since. Today, they have the same bass player, the same label, and Moutenot has produced every record up until 2013.
ATLANTIC RECORDS 12.16.2014 RELEASE
by DAN BERGER On her newest LP release, ‘Sucker’, Charli XCX comes out pretty direct, especially on the title track. Opening a track with a hook that says “Fuck You, Sucker,” is pretty brash, but sets up an album of confident pop songs, in which it’s obvious
enthusiasm. Rather than a calculated pop star, Charli simply aims to be genuine. Her delivery is a mixture of singing, shouting, and sassy rebellion, and works perfectly in sync with the punk guitars, electronic music, and an album that tows the line between rock and pop consistently.
that Charli knows what she wants. While there’s often a difference between knowing what people want to hear and not caring what people want to hear, in Sucker, these two thoughts are the same thing. What works to the advantage of these two unequivocally contradictory ideas is Charli’s unbridled
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In Breaking Up, Charli XCX has confidence that is on point. A simple punk guitar line mixes with pop lyrics of Charli explaining point by point why her ex wasn’t good enough. “You had an ugly tattoo and fucking cheap perfume, You couldn’t dance, barely moved I didn’t know what to do. You had a friend in a band, but they’re not that cool.” The chorus further hammers this idea: “Everything was wrong with you, so breaking up was easy to do.” Unlike break up songs that try to put a relationship in some sort of good light, Charli is just straight up insulting the guy. This gets to the point of why this is such a good pop album. Instead of catering to all audiences like her peers, Charli XCX couldn’t care less.
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CHARLI XCX SUCKER
ALBUM REVIEW
TITLE: CHARLI XCX - Body of My Own ALBUM: SUCKER
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No seriously, she doesn’t – songwriting, like Icona Pop’s of the many radio friendly “Money pours like the hit, “I Love It.” That debut tracks. Doing It leads off the rain falls, and I’m a spend release has a brooding and 2nd half with a anthematic it like I don’t care,” ends at times downtrodden feel, bass and an 80s pop strut. the chorus of Gold Coins, contrasting the brashness Famous is another bright whose message is simply and often-upbeat attitude spot on the latter half, as about spending money. of Sucker. The seemingly it features a heavy guitar The rebellious nature of this calculated decision to move riff that is as catchy as the album and its lyrics are a into a different direction chorus is “One night and rejection of more modern proves successful on this we’re gonna come and pop tendencies, for more album, as the songwriting crash the party / Weren’t widespread appeal, and from the previous album is invited but we’re feelin’ good-girl personas of her equaled if not surpasses on so outrageous / Just like contemporaries, like Taylor Charli’s new record. Dance we’re famous.” Caught in Swift & Ariana Grande. the Middle is another Unlike other budding standout track at the “...CHARLI SIMPLY AIMS TO BE pop stars, instead of end of the album, with GENUINE. HER DELIVERY IS A going with the flow of another set of alluring MIXTURE OF SINGING, SHOUTING, electronic or R&B genres lyrics sung longingly AND SASSY REBELLION, AND WORKS that currently flood the by Charli with another PERFECTLY IN SYNC WITH THE PUNK airwaves of current pop chorus full of hooks. GUITARS, ELECTRONIC MUSIC, AND AN radio, her reverence ALBUM THAT TOWS THE LINE BETWEEN The most exciting thing to the 80s and 90s ROCK AND POP CONSISTENTLY. ” is fiercely throwback. about the album as Distorted guitars and a whole is the vocal sing-song lyrics reference numbers from True Romance transformation of Charli XCX acts like the Runaways, are replaced by distorted since her debut. On True while electronic loops and guitars, and sullen vocals Romance, her vocals often drum beats keep the album interchanged by sugar-pop seemed as a backing track firmly grounded with an singing. The transition suits to the music. On Sucker, out-and-out modern sound. her well, as numerous live Charli’s vocals are at the performances in 2014 show forefront of each song, and Charli XCX’s last output – her on stage strutting with allow her expression and True Romance, was labeled confidence and embracing enthusiasm to shine. Overall, “Goth-pop,” and although her new identity in pop Sucker is a giant of a pop it was warmly received by music. While Sucker, often album, and as ambitious and many music publications, its feels top heavy, with hits like confident as we’ve heard radio play was not nearly as Boom Clap and Break the from Charli XCX thus far. commonplace as her earlier Rules leading the charge
VIET CONG VIET CONG
JAGJAGUWAR 01.20.2015 RELEASE
Viet Cong really feels like a juggernaut that’s finally just getting into its stride. They seem to extend an unlimited source of inspired experimental music. When compared to the sounds of their debut EP it’s glaringly obvious that vocalist/
bassist Matt Flegel and the rest of the band chose to hit the afterburners on their first full length release. The band was assembled out of the ashes of art-noise outfit Women, which disbanded in 2012 following the sudden death of their lead guitarist, Christopher Reimer. Flegel drafted live guitarist Scott
TITLE: VIET CONG - Silhouette ALBUM: VIET CONG
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It feels entirely heavier, even if it isn’t. This is evident in the opening track Newspaper Spoons. The starting scene echoes dementia and a blasting drum line within a sparring match against warbling electronic synths. These two continue to grow in intensity throughout the first three minutes of the song, but when you listen closely to the specific way that the tension builds, things start to get weird. Yes, the drums are distorted to and past kingdom come, but that alone shouldn’t give the
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by ALEX ALTY
Munro to team up with the rest of the Calgarybased group. The self titled debut album is drenched in distortion and twisted emotions. It is evident from the opening track that this is a fresh set of Viet Cong songs. They preserve the same boundary pushing sound loops and strange noise samples, but on top of that it feels as if each individual instrument has been channeled through some unholy labyrinth of distortion, reverb and fuzz. All in order to completely blast through any remnants of a sophomore slump.
ALBUM REVIEW
Wow, I think that could be the very definition of over-analyzing, but that is why I am in love with this band right now. Viet Cong tests your limits as a listener. They always have a raw emotion at the core of every song, but it is shrouded in so much experimental hoo-hah that it is anyone’s guess as to what’s really true. And what’s more, they’re starting to push their own limits as musicians. This album shows every aspect of the band pushed to the extreme. Going back to our fan-boy droolings over March of Progress, we
can see how melodies are being tested in new ways. Instead of looking for the elusive “new sound”, or some scale that no one has heard before, we see them using tried and true chord progressions that could be heard on any major radio station. But why be normal? They still retain the experimentalism in their souls: they are pushing back at the archetypes of modern
“THEY ARE LIKE A DEMENTED GRIZZLY BEAR, THE BAND OR THE ANIMAL TAKE YOUR PICK... BASICALLY JUST MAKING THE MUSIC THAT THEY THEMSELVES WANT TO HEAR, AND COMPLETELY UNAPOLOGETIC ABOUT THE WHOLE SITUATION. ” music by giving them a new meaning. The pounding of an expanded cadence in Bunker Buster eventually thickens into a release of splashing sounds that are both dark and tireless. The track end transitions quite effectively into the first single release of the album, Continental Shelf, which is a bear of a track that marches into sounds like a blacksmith casting iron weaponry wrote
TITLE: VIET CONG - Continental Shelf ALBUM: VIET CONG
the track. I think bands like Viet Cong are exactly what we need nowadays. They could give a rat’s ass about production value, they are like a demented Grizzly Bear, the band or the animal take your pick. They are brazenly showing off their own style while maintaining assured indifference to listener concerns. This is a band that is making music because they want to make music. Basically just making the music that they themselves want to hear, and completely unapologetic about the whole situation. Overall this album is thoroughly entertaining. It may take a little while to get into if you are a newcomer to the noise/ experimental-pop world, but if that is truly the case then I would suggest listening to their debut album ‘Cassette’ to give yourself a healthy warm-up. However, if you feel that you are truly ready to dive headfirst into the world of Viet Cong then you won’t be disappointed. Unless you’re a capitalist, but that’s an entirely different can of worms.
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song its intense feeling of foreboding. The piano line, in a similar fashion, offers no insight into why this song has such a haunting feel. The keyboardist moves through two chords the entire time, an inversion of the root and fifth respectively, I believe. Music theory suggests that these two triads should be completely euphonic, but the way that the chords are being voiced emphasizes the chromatic dissonances between the chords.
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lali
The Mysterious Drum of Fiji by Steven Saphore I begin to ponder if there is some intrinsic connection between the slumberous intoxication of the kava drink and the meditative beat I am hearing, both which are sprouted from the same soil. It feels like my scalp just sprung helicopter blades that are numbingly lifting me from the ground. The rhythm of my pins-and-needles has synchronized perfectly with the wooden beat of which each consecutive strike only lifts me higher; each like a shovel of coal into a steam engine. Perhaps it’s just the psychoactive kavalactones running through my blood.
when you have everything you need? Bananas, pawpaws and cassava all grow within eyeshot from the rich volcanic soil while mountain streams bring fresh drinking water to front doors. Granted, since the country was colonized by Europe in the 1800’s, lifestyle across the archipelago took a turn for colonialism and dragged music along with it. Now, church choirs and gospel music may be the only performances that a whole generation will know. Fiji’s rich musical culture however, sails back through the rivers of time (in a canoe shaped-drum in fact) much farther than that...
When it comes to music in Fiji, slumberous is an excellent term. It’s an apt term for a culture seemingly genetically predisposed to relax. But why work
I am in Natewa Bay on the north-eastern tip of Fiji’s 2nd most populated island, Vanua Levu. There is a funeral today in Naqaravutu village (although
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FEATURE
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Panoramic shot showing Natewa Bay, Vanua Levu, Fiji
whose I am not sure). We are just passing through, but what with the great Fijian spirit of hospitality and all, we stop to say ‘Hi!’ And as with any celebration in Fiji (be it life cometh or goeth), it would seem the whole province is currently huddled around a bowl of kava. I spot some friends amidst the crowd and don’t hesitate to join. “Please boss, low tide saraga’ I plead with the taki master who thinks it’s funny to see a kaivalagi (white guy) downing D-cup size drinking vessel made from half of a coconut shell (called a bilo) of kava filled to the brim. He smiles and pours some back in the huge carved wooden bowl (known as a Tanoa) before passing it back to me. I drink it in one go. My mouth immedi-
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ately goes numb. Losing one of your five senses only makes the remaining four stronger.
Thud. The first strike hits me like a local vesi tree being felled; likely the very same tree this quintessential Fijian instrument was carved from.
Thud, th-thud, thud...
Thomas Williams’ sketch of a “Feejeean Drum” resting on a coil of rope
Thud, th-thud, thud... The slow but repetitive rhythm simultaneously captivates the entire village.
Thud, th-thud, thud. Thud, th-thud, thud. Thud, th-thud, thud. Thud, th-thud, thud... The organic sound is emanating from a traditional Fijian percussive instrument known as a lali.It is about four to five feet long with a circumference resembling a large tree trunk. There are no schematics for this instrument, just wisdom passed down through generations. Each hand chiseled gouge would be cumulatively responsible for this particular instrument’s one-of-akind tone. Unlike traditional
FEATURE
19th c. studio photoshoot of Fijian playing the Lali
drums and the membranes that endure the strikes of drumsticks, the Lali is an idiophone, that is, a percussive instrument that creates sound primarily by it vibrating as a whole. As with most aspects of Fijian culture, its purpose transcends the boundaries of its engineering. Used for much for than just music, the rhythm of a lali is an ancient form of communication. Beaten with two soft wooden sticks, today it calls in honor of death, however, milestones such as weddings and birthdays will not be exempt. In days-goneby, it would be played to signal times of war or even tribal cannibal feasts. It sings and the villagers remain silent.
Performers play the lali for tourists at a Fijian resort.
What many foreigners may fondly recall hearing as the greeting drum beaten upon their arrival at an overpriced hotel on Denarau, I hear as a trance luring me back in time... A steady pulse enticing me around Fiji’s 300 islands and into its ancient history... 4000 years in each soundwave... back when Christian missionaries Thomas Williams & James Calvert could only describe the Fijian to be ‘unrivalled as a disgrace to mankind’. Fuck the wild west, this was the savage south. Tales tell of an infamous cannibal chief named Udre Udre (pronounced undre undre) who believed he would reach immortality by eating thousand people. During his reign, when people heard the
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FEATURE
“MOST OF THE ORDNANCE CORPS RETURNED TO NEW ZEALAND IN JULY OR AUGUST 1942, AND SOME IN SEPTEMBER. FEW WILL FORGET THE SCENE AS THE LINER PRESIDENT COOLIDGE MOVED SLOWLY OUT FROM HER MOORINGS, WHEN STURDY FIJIANS GROUPED THEMSELVES ON THE SUVA WHARF AND SANG, WITH INIMITABLE HARMONY, THE SLUMBROUS STRAINS OF ISA LEI. THEY SEEMED MOVED AT THE DEPARTURE OF THE DIVISION, AND SANG SLOWLY, AND SOMEWHAT SADLY. IF, IN THE HEARTS OF THESE PEOPLE, SOME CHORD HAD BEEN STRUCK BY THE NEW ZEALANDER, AN ECHO NOW RETURNED ACROSS THE WATER IN THE HAUNTING, FULLTHROATED MELODY OF THEIR SONG OF FAREWELL.” P. P. Henley [1947] THE TANKS: AN UNOFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE THIRD NEW ZEALAND DIVISION TANK SQUADRON IN THE PACIFIC
Fijian chief in full ornamental dress
beating of lali they would hide their children, for it meant he was hungry and looking for someone to eat. I’d shudder to hear the deeply ominous thud of an ancient war lali (said to be over twelve feet long). The carrying power of such a hollowed piece of wood would echo through hills and valleys many kilometers away. The carrying power of such a hollowed piece of wood would echo through both hills and valleys many kilometers in the distance.
Peeking through the kava-induced haze, I can visualize each subsequent strike with a unique notation. The idiosyncrasies of each wooden thud causes mental pictures to be painted in the form of an almost - dare I say it - melodic narrative. Had I recorded the images I saw in my head then, this article would undoubtedly be as prophetic as one of the 10 commandments. However, since kava is not known to be a drug of productivity, it should come as little
surprise that I encountered great difficulties lifting my fingers to grab my notebook sitting at arm’s length. The intensity of the rhythm increases, however the tone of the thud itself appears to slow down (just like my body movement right now) to the point where I can focus on each individualwood-to-wood impact of the “i uaua” (beating sticks) upon the cavity wall. Neither a musicalnote, nor just a percussive hit, the true nature of a lali thud is sonically complex: It’s often misconceived as a drum or a gong, however it functions more like a huge wooden bell. Regardless, the subtleties in the fill become clear - no longer an incessant trill, I hear the off-beat mastery that, without the heart-beat maintained oh so steadily by the player, you’d be lost. A few hundred years ago, I’d probably be hearing two lali’s: One big and one small. They would be carved in such a way that a pair of virtuosos could weave intricate rhythmic tapestries in harmony with each other. Contemporary musical pioneers are yet to cross into waters of the South-Pacific Ocean and incorporate this distinctly tribal instrument into their music. It won’t be long though. With a rhythm this lush, I’ll have to get a restraining order against these tropical house producers just so they might stop asking where they can download the samples.
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LOOKING BACK AT
MMXIV'S best music of the year
2014
TOP 10
ALBUMS of the year
5 Truly UNDERRATED Albums by Brett Jager This is a look at five albums released in 2014 that were maybe not very widely reviewed, or did not end up on a lot of year-end lists, which makes them underrated in my mind. I spent a lot more time in ’14 exploring and trying to find new music never heard in past years. Some of these artists were unknown to me before this year, and a few of these albums landed in my personal top 15 list. This is NOT a ranking, but merely a show of affection for a handful of albums that I feel did not get enough of it this year.
TOP 10 TRACKS of the year 66 | cue la musique
CARIBOU
SPOON
OUR LOVE
THEY WANT MY SOUL
WHY?
Fantastic singles that have a way to get you to sing along the simple choruses
AVA LUNA
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Last year was my first introduction to Ava Luna. Electric Balloon was released early in ’14 during a time where I had an insatiable thirst for finding new music. I read a few snippets about the band and the album, and was intrigued by the commentary. The best description I’d heard of the album was referring to it as “nervous soul.” I was excited and not sure what to expect, and when
There is some screaming, hard drumming, and horns on top of everything else to create a bizarre cacophony of sound, but entirely likeable. After the intensity of the opening track, it’s a blatant shift to the second track, “Sears Roebuck M&M’s,” sung by Becca Kauffman. As a slower track, it offers a deliberate introductory pace that coincides with the switch at lead vocals. Her voice coasts over the slower guitar and bass, and while she sometimes yelps almost gibberish, it all works together perfectly. The highlight of the album for me is “Plain Speech,” Hernandez again takes the reins here, and at about the 1:50 mark the song has an uptick and it really draws comparisons to a Dirty Projectors track with the way the backup female vocalists are used. I found myself comparing this album to the Dirty Projectors more often than not, and that’s a good thing. The album does a great job of balancing the chaos with some slower tunes such as “PPRL,” which is great in its own right. It’s an album full of hooks that always keeps you guessing, taking you in a myriad of fun and interesting directions. Key Tracks: Sears Roebuck M&M’s & Plain Speech
TWIN PEAKS Telephone
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Awake
the Austin rockers sound fresh with a great release on par with past great releases
I first popped in the album, I was immediately hooked by the opening track, “Daydream.” It featured hard, fast driving guitars with a female backing vocal for the first 30 seconds before making way for Carlos Hernandez’s wild falsetto singing. It was the perfect opening selection as it kind of encapsulates the entire album—chaotic, out of control, almost lacking structure, but more than anything, fun.
ELECTRIC BALLROOM
TYCHO
WHY?
ARIEL PINK
ST. VINCENT
POM POM
ST. VINCENT
WHY?
Another highly ecletic release that continues his redefinition of pop music as we know it
ELECTRIC CITIZEN
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I must disclose a slight bias about this album as I grew up in the same neighborhood as Electric Citizen’s drummer, Nate Wagner. As a kid, I could frequently hear Wagner playing drums at his house, and it’s really cool to see him having success. All bias aside, Sateen is a very strong debut album from the Cincinnati outfit. Their style is largely influenced by 60’s and 70’s rock with some elements of psychadelia.
After four upbeat charging tracks to begin the album, the pace is slowed down at the midpoint for “Hawk Nightingale,” a beautiful, but dark and haunting tune. The pace picks up for the following track, “Shallow Water,” which explodes the final minute and a half with powerful instrumentation backed Laura’s harmonies. The album does not lull to the finish, as catchy single “Light Years Beyond” sits at track eight. At 39 minutes, Sateen is without a dull moment. The one slower song serves as some of the most interesting material of the album. I had the opportunity to see Electric Citizen live this summer and the live performance matched the tightness of the album. It was especially a joy for me to see a childhood friend play such a kickass show as part of a great band. I thought Laura was an excellent frontwoman live, often wideeyed and giving off frightening vibes, in the absolute best way possible .Ross’s solos were as great live as on record, and Wagner and Vogepohl were on point in carrying the rhythm. Sateen is a great listen for those clamoring for a classic rock sound, and I am very excited for the future of Electric Citizen. Key Tracks: Shallow Water & Light Years Beyond
FKA TWIGS Two Weeks
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Black Out Days
Her best release to date is grammy nominated and embarrassingly stacked with hits
It’s evident from the get-go on opening track “Beggar’s Need” that all four musicians of Electric Citizen are very solid. The track opens with Ross Dolan’s guitar coupled with surging drums and bass from Wagner and bassist Nick Vogepohl, which quickly leads in to the enticing vocals of Laura Dolan. The performance of all four together is very tight and cohesive throughout the album, highlighted by Ross Dolan’s classic style guitar solos.
SATEEN
PHANTOGRAM
WHY?
TODD TERJE
FKA TWIGS
IT’S ALBUM TIME
LP1
WHY?
His debut release exploded from the moment it was out. Yet another Norwegian hit.
TOGETHER PANGEA
The title track isn’t the only slower acoustic track of the album either. “Offer” is another that begins with an acoustic guitar and has elements of folk music, while remaining in the garage rock style. There are some songs to constantly bang your head to, and others to which you find yourself swaying back-and-forth. And then there’s “Sick Shit.” Based on the title alone, it’s pretty easy to imagine what to expect from this track. There’s yelling and crass lyrics, but it’s a very melodic and well-constructed song. It comes in at just over four minutes, with the latter two-plus minutes devoid of lyrics, but undoubtedly the most intense portion of the album.
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“Living a lie and you don’t even care” is the first line of “Alive,” a straightforward garage rock track which serves as the opener to Badillac, the excellent label debut from LA’s together PANGEA. It’s a fast and hard-hitting track akin to that of bands such as Wavves or FIDLAR. The first two tracks of the album are of the exciting headbanging variety, but Badillac becomes truly memorable with because of its versatility, and
There are no throw-away or boring tracks on the album, and PANGEA’s (especially Keegan’s) ability to mix it up keeps the album incredibly interesting an endlessly re-playable. Key Tracks: Badillac & Sick Shit
CARIBOU Can’t Do Without You
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Ducking & Dodging
Her complex, Trickylike debut album has the potential to redefine the future of R&B
that begins with song No. 3, the title track. After fiveplus minutes of fury, “Badillac” begins with an acoustic guitar, which causes you to think “Woah, is this the same band?” It’s a slower pace, and obviously a different sound with the acoustic lead, but the drums and bass are heavy, as are the vocals of William Keegan. He hits the word “Badillac” hard with a sight scream, and it’s a beautiful performance throughout the song. The electric guitar comes into play with a nice solo at the end, accompanied with some harmonica, which is employed and goes right into the one minute thirty-one second burner “Does He Really Care,” which goes back to the style of the first two tracks.
BADILLAC
PARQUET COURTS
WHY?
CLOUD NOTHINGS
RUN THE JEWELS
HERE AND NOWHERE ELSE
RUN THE JEWELS 2
WHY?
From the opening track right to the last one, you’ll drown in their hook-filled punk songs
EX COPS
Billy Corgan was a co-writer and executive producer on Daggers, although it doesn’t really resemble the sound of Smashing Pumpkins. Daggers exhibits a much bigger and mainstream sound than its predecessor. It’s more of a straightforward pop record-heavy on synth and drum machine--with such a greater scope. Bruun’s vocals are powerful throughout, and that is most evident on the track “White Noise,” a bombastic cut which bares no resemblance to anything off their debut. Daggers also features a guest appearance by Ariel Pink on the track “Tragically Alright.” While Ariel Pink didn’t necessarily have the strongest year outside of the recording studio, his new album pom pom was fantastic, and his presence certainly adds some strength to Daggers. Interestingly, album’s final track “Weird with You” is the only one where Harding primarily takes the lead, and recalls a bit of Hallucinations nostalgia.
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For those familiar with Ex Cops, you may find this choice a bit odd. The Brooklyn duo’s sophomore album Daggers was not nearly as well received as their debut album True Hallucinations, which was released in January of 2013. Brian Harding was the lead vocalist for almost the entirety of True Hallucinations, with Amalie Bruun serving primarily as a backup vocalist. Hallucinations was a very concise, tight and enjoyable
While Daggers was drastically different from their debut, I’m not faulting a band for creating an overly ambitious record. They clearly had an agenda in mind when writing it, and I found myself quite enjoying the ride. Key Tracks: White Noise & Daggers
CLOUD NOTHINGS I’m Not Part of Me
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They Want My Soul
The duo can’t seem to not one up themselves as this release continues their recent tear
debut of dream-pop. The script was entirely flipped on Daggers. Bruun serves as the primary vocalist, with Harding providing backup.
DAGGERS
SPOON
WHY?
FUTURE ISLANDS
THE WAR ON DRUGS
SINGLES
LOST IN THE DREAM
WHY?
Because they have the number one single on our track list among many other great ones
WHITE SEA
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White Sea is the solo project of Morgan Kibby, a longtime collaborator with M83, serving as a keyboardist, backup singer and even songwriter. I’ve long been a fan of M83, but they were never in my upper echelon of artists. I always enjoyed the female vocals, so when a friend shared that “the girl from M83” put out a solo album, I figured it would be worth checking out. It turns out it definitely was worth my time. From the
The wild and crazy lyrics of “Warsaw” gave a fun, more light-hearted feel toward the center of the album. The first couple of times I listened to White Sea, I admittedly would just pluck out my few favorite songs from the first album and ignore the second half. A song like “Small December” is a slower strings and piano track that certainly grew on me, and it springboards into a very strong final three tracks, which all three can now interchangeably act as my second-favorite of the album, behind the aforementioned “Future Husbands.” One critic claimed “Kibby’s dramatic flourishes and musical inspirations are, at best, an acquired taste.” While I feel the “at best” portion of that quote to be an unnecessary shot, I can’t disagree with the rest. When I first delved in, I really enjoyed about four songs, but I acquired the taste and learned to love Kibby’s epicness, and In Cold Blood became one of my most enjoyable listens of the year. Key Tracks: They Don’t Know & Future Husbands Past Lives
FUTURE ISLANDS Seasons (I’m Waiting For You)
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An Ocean In Between The Waves
Their best ever release is bloated with songs that will be on repeat for many years to come
first second of “The Don’t Know,” the opening track to In Cold Blood, it was obvious that Kibby was going big, which was not exactly a shock given her affiliation with M83. Her voice is incredibly powerful throughout and the synth and drums are pretty hard and in your face. She mixes some electro-pop and slight disco elements into “Future Husbands Past Lives,” undoubtedly the strongest track of the album and another big favorite of all 2014. It’s an insanely catchy with the instrumentation, but it is clearly carried by Kibby’s vocal prowess. That vocal prowess is more than evident throughout the album, and while some critics felt the album was too grandiose and Kibby was guilty of “over-singing,” I found myself drawn to it.
IN COLD BLOOD
THE WAR ON DRUGS
WHY?
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FEATURE
SHAKY KNEES MUS IC FEST I VAL Lineup critique SCAN OR CLICK TO HEAR ARTISTS
by Dan Berger
The lively crowd at Shaky Knees in 2014, adjacent to Atlantic Station
For the third successive year, Shaky Knees Music Festival returns to Atlanta, Georgia, following their January lineup announcement for its newest edition. They certainly didn’t hold back on securing a stellar list of acts again. New York-based event promotions company Bowery Presents and other investors established Shaky Knees in 2013. Its first edition was held in Atlanta’s Historic Old Fourth Ward Park adjacent to the venue Masquerade. Despite torrential rain that more or
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less flooded the festival grounds, the two-day event was a huge success as good attendance and stellar shows saved it from early disappointment. Some of the headlining acts for the debut festival included Band of Horses, The Lumineers, Jim James, Gary Clark Jr, Drive-By Truckers, and Dr. Dog. Last year’s second edition was expanded to four stages as the event took on an additional day to accommodate the growing lineup. It was also relocated
across town to a paved hardscape adjacent to the Atlantic Station shopping district. This move was in response to the previous year’s downpour so that any potential rain couldn’t generate the horrid mud conditions of its debut. The festival ground were still pretty small however it was effectively managed by the Shaky Knees team. It was an exceptional three days in May that featured so many talented live performers, from headliners The National, Modest Mouse, Spoon, and Local Natives, to
FEATURE well-known indie artists and troupes including Band of Skulls, White Denim, Houndmouth, Jason Isbell and Jenny Lewis. Even openers like Sleeper Agent, Fly Golden Eagle, and San Fermin put on impressive sets that surely vaulted them to higher billings at future festival events. This coming May, the festival will once again be relocated across town to Central Park in Atlanta, returning the weary feet of last year to grassy terrain while virtually reserving the same size area for the event. As a huge fan of the festival with positive experiences from the last two years, I do find it curious why they could not secure large
Jenny Lewis sings for a passionate crowd on the Ponce de Leon Stage
“THE TOP BILLED ACTS MIX INDIE ROCK – THE STROKES AND PIXIES – WITH BANDS CLOSER TO THE ORIGINAL FESTIVAL VIBES, LIKE THE AVETT BROTHERS AND RYAN ADAMS. UNDERCARDS LIKE TAME IMPALA AND MASTODON GIVE THE FESTIVAL A MORE VARIED GENRE LISTING SINCE YEARS PAST. THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR JAMES BLAKE AND DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979, MORE POLARIZING BANDS THAT ARE GREAT IN THEIR OWN RIGHT, YET NOT FOR EVERYONE. ” - D.B.
festival ground with an expanded lineup. Piedmont Park would have been a great choice, as would many other sites around the city. Nonetheless, the word spectacular will likely be attributed to the festival later this year should the performers meet the hype of its program. Headlining the festival are big names like The Strokes, The Avett Brothers, and Wilco, as
well as throwbacks like Pixies and Oasis frontman’s band Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. The top billed acts mix indie rock – The Strokes and Pixies – with bands closer to the original festival vibes, like The Avett Brothers and Ryan Adams. Undercards like Tame Impala and Mastodon give the festival a more varied genre listing since years past. The same can be said
Alternative country star Jason Isbell on the Piedmont Stage
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FEATURE for James Blake and Death From Above 1979, more polarizing bands that are great in their own right, yet not for everyone. Long standing acts like Social Distortion, Neutral Milk Hotel and Spiritualized will bring hard core fans set to camp out for a great spot at both of these shows. Further down the list are great Indie acts like Kaiser Chiefs, Atlanta’s own The Black Lips, The Mountain Goats and Best Coast. This cluttered mix of great undercard guarantees quite a few conflicts for many music fans. More unknown bands like Milky Chance and American Football will get a chance to show their chops in the late afternoon timeslots, and will give both a chance to pick up a lot of followers in Atlanta. The top half of the lineup has plenty of bands that are absolutely not to be missed. Pixies mix late 80s grunge with heavy guitar licks and swagger from
Brooklyn based TV On The Radio
“FOR FANS OF SOUNDS FROM THE SURF, DEFINITELY CHECK OUT TENNIS IF YOU AREN’T ABLE TO SEE BEST COAST PERFORM. MIAMI’S SURFER BLOOD OFFERS HARDER SURF-ROCK FARE AND IS A GREAT LIVE BAND TO BOOT.” - D.B.
eclectic mix of guitar and electronic music, fused brilliantly by producer David Sitek. Mac Demarco’s shenanigans only add to brilliantly written if not offkey songs with as catchy guitars as it gets. Surf-pop’s Best Coast
front man Black Francis. Tame Impala spill toxic psychedelic riffs over John Lennon like vocals, and are another must see band. Interpol spill quick witted lyrics with steady drum and basslines, with lead guitarist Daniel Kessler’s sharp, piercing riffs. TV on the Radio have both howling vocals and an
After scouring through the band names listed at the foot of the lineup, it offers an abundance of quality bands that have been around for a while or have been surfacing over the last year. For those that have not experienced either Minus the Bear or Heartless Bastards, do make some effort to see at least one of these tenured indie rock bands. The Mowgli’s offer attendees sublime rootsy West Coast pop that will get you dancing early in the day.
Miami rockers Surfer Blood
“EARLIER THIS MONTH, (VIET CONG) RELEASED ARGUABLY THE BEST DEBUT ALBUM OF THE YEAR SO FAR AND SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO APPEAR ON PLENTY TOP END OF YEAR LISTS.” - D.B.
For fans of sounds from the surf, definitely check out Tennis if you aren’t able to see Best Coast perform. Miami’s Surfer Blood offers harder surf-rock fare and is a great live band to boot. One of the major highlights on this end of the lineup is Canadian post-
punk outfit Viet Cong. Earlier this month, they released arguably the best debut album of the year so far and should be expected to appear on plenty top end of year lists. Noise rock band Metz is also another excellent Canadian addition to the lineup with their live performances highly acclaimed throughout the festival circuit. If you’re craving a performance featuring Brits, you’ll be impressed with garage rockers Palma Violets way before the bigger acts hit the stage. Any other choices made to fill in your time slots for the opening hours of the the music festival
Calgary-based post-punk outfit Viet Cong are primed to impress at this year’s festival edition
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are unlikely to disappoint. Festival repeaters include The Heartless Bastards and Dr. Dog from 2013, and The Devil Makes Three, who booked last year before backing out nearer to the festival. The festival this year has stepped up its game from the last two years, with much higher profile acts being booked than previous years, and the country/ folk based festival going full indie, with acts of almost every genre except for hip-hop (next year, guys, next year).
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surging C U E L A M U S I Q U E ’s
artists to watch
SURGING
Temples on stage at Austin City Limits Festival on October, 2014
TEMPLES by Brett Jager
“Shelter Song” serves as a strong opener, leading into album highlight and title track, “Sun Struc-
tures.” Temples toured extensively in the U.S. for the first time in 2014, including major festival appearances at Coachella, Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits. They are currently scheduled to play Bonnaroo in 2015. As good as Temples’ recordings sound, their live show is even more impressive. They play loud and certainly like to jam and extend their songs. Temples also look the part of the 1960’s and 70’s bands which they emulate—sporting the long unkempt hairdos. Temples will be an exciting band to track in ’15 as they look to continue to build upon their ’14 success.
TITLE: TEMPLES - Sun Structures ALBUM: SUN STRUCTURES
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Hailing from Kettering, England, psych rock outfit Temples first came on the scene in 2012 with the release of their first single, “Shelter Song.” They released a few more tracks in 2013 and were touted by Johnny Marr (The Smiths) and Noel Gallagher (Oasis) as the best new band in Britain, all of this before they had even released an album. The hype was there, and Temples delivered on it with their debut LP, Sun Structures, released in February of 2014. Even with 12 tracks clocking in at 52:48 the album remains exciting throughout, with nary a dull moment.
SURGING
Ibeyi performing at Festival les InRocks Philips on November 2014
by Rick Menninger The cajon plays heavily into Ibeyi’s current work. Along with the use of traditional instrumentation, Ibeyi also switch between English and Yoruba when singing. The Yoruba are a West African ethnic group with whom their late father traces his roots. With such an interesting blend of influences on their music, Ibeyi are set to drop a wildly interesting debut album. In addition to their jazz and soul background, they’re also heavily influenced by R&B and hiphop. In particular, they cite James Blake, Frank Ocean, Nina Simone, and The Roots as major recent influences. Look for their eponymously titled debut album, dropping February 17th on XL Recordings.
TITLE: IBEYI - River ALBUM: OYA EP
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Of all the groups poised to drop something amazing in 2015, the debut album of XL Recordings’ musical duo Ibeyi is a can’t miss opportunity. Twin sisters (“Ibeyi” is twins in Yoruba) LisaKaindé and Naomi Diaz, coming from a French/Cuban background, combine elements of jazz, soul, and an eclectic blend of traditional Afro-Caribbean percussion instruments to create intimate and heartwrenching songs. It’s also worth noting that the twins’ father is renowned Cuban percussionist Anga Diaz, who made a name for himself while performing with the Buena Vista Social Club. It was from their father where they learned to play the cajon, a traditional Afro Peruvian hand drum that rose to prominence in the late 18th century.
SURGING
CATFISH AND THE
GIRAFFAGE
BOTTLEMEN
by Brenan Wayland
by Brenan Wayland
Charlie Yin, better known as Giraffage, is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, who decided to dedicate his brilliant mind to music rather than economics. He makes use of relaxed drum loops, warm synth pads, and impeccably executed samples to create music that is dreamy and ambient.
Catfish and the Bottlemen is a British indie-rock outfit that’s had a hell of a year. From peaking at No. 10 in the UK Album Chart, winning the BBC Introducing Award, and a number of other accolades, they’ve taken the world by storm with their debut full-length album The Balcony.
GIRAFFAGE ALBUM: NO REASON EP TRACK: Hello
CATFISH & THE BOTTLEMEN ALBUM: THE BALCONY TRACK: Kathleen
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I challenge you to sample his epic track “Hello”.
Their music balances pop sensibility with the signature grit of British rock—lead singer Van McCann belts out infectious melodies that are at times soft and shimmering, and other times rough and powerful over a wall of aggressive guitars. Check out the critically acclaimed single “Kathleen” before everyone else around the block has heard it.
Despite his lo-fi sound, his music is far from simple—he masterfully combines restless, pulsing parts that fit together like the pieces of a puzzle. Giraffage’s latest release is the 2014 EP No Reason.
SURGING
BØRNS by Alex Alty
Garrett Borns, originally from Michigan, wrote Candy while dwelling in his tree-home in Los Angeles. It’s not quite 15 minutes long, but this album will take you to summer-themed synth-pop heaven. The tasty vocals and upbeat, psychedelic-rock feel of “Electric Love” is a triumphant opening for a refreshing album. Candy blends electro-pop beats, love themes, trippy electronica, and harmonious vocals in a way reminiscent of Lorde and MGMT.
BØRNS ALBUM: CANDY TRACK: Electric Love
SCAN OR CLICK TO HEAR TRACK
Sure summer’s gone, but it’s hard to tell if you stay inside and listen to this ear candy from BORNS. With that in mind, take a moment to sample his best track below.
Coming out of Toronto, we have a fresh new contender in the race for sunshine indie pop domination. Alvvays expertly captures the happy apathy of the days we’re living in, and their track “Marry Me, Archie” could very well be the next alternative teenage anthem. They exude an aura of days gone by; a longing that can’t be satisfied, giving their music that “instant classic” sort of sound. Following tours with The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Peter Bjorn and John, the group recorded their self-titled debut album, which was released July of last year. Expect more from this talented quintet with major festivals gearing up later this year.
ALVVAYS ALBUM: ALVVAYS TRACK: Marry Me, Archie
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by Jake Holleman
INSERT
AD
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SURGING
royal thunder by Brenan Wayland
by Daniel Snider
Sunbaked and broiled in Southern charm, New Madrid is an indie band out of Athens, GA that is absolutely dripping with potential. They began garnering attention in 2012 with their debut Yardboat, riding its popularity to the Flagpole Music Awards and winning “Artist of the Year”. At times they’re gentle, delicate, and textured, layering swooping steel guitar lines over glistening chords, while other times they let their wild side loose with energetic, grimy blues-rock riffs. In all cases, New Madrid is a refreshing glass of sweet tea on a hot summer day.
Those that are unfamiliar with Atlanta rockers Royal Thunder should set aside some time to hear them. Channeling their southern roots from a metalhead’s perspective, their output is nothing less than fantastic rock & roll that follows a consist formula of building up to harder and deeper crescendos arranged by solid instrument sections. While armed with retro guitar vibes that wrangle riffs with zeppelin-esque turns, and a drummer with understated technicality on even the simplest songs, the four piece group’s biggest asset is blues-rock vocal diva Mlny Parsonz.
NEW MADRID ALBUM: SUNSWIMMER TRACK: Forest gum
ROYAL THUNDER ALBUM: CVI TRACK: Blue
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Royal Thunder drops their second studio album, Crooked Doors, on April 7th.
SCAN OR CLICK TO HEAR TRACK
Their latest release is 2014’s Sunswimmer.
SURGING
RAURY by Aaron Smart innovative approach in marketing his talents led to OutKast setting him up to open for their first Atlanta reunion show, while his next big break came on SBTRKT’s newest album release where he lent his vocals for the single “Higher”. Further collaborations with Gucci Mane, Joey Bada$$, and The Neighborhood have laid considerable groundwork that even Spotify labeled this talent in their annual “Artists to Watch” list for 2015.
Throughout 2014, he went on what he dubs as the “Anti-Tour,” which are impromptu guerilla shows in front of exiting crowds as they leave concerts by some of his favorite artists, including Childish Gambino and Tyler, The Creator. His
He released his first major project back in August. You can download it for free at indigochildproject.com
TITLE: RAURY - Cigarette Song ALBUM: INDIGO CHILD
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Raury is an 18 year old from East Atlanta. This kid has a very high ceiling. Even though he will probably impact the hip-hop community first, he will not be contained by it. It is easy to hear that his influences range far and wide due his patience and creative intention about the way in which he releases his work. He is gradually becoming more comfortable with his voice as a singer, which is great because he has plenty to say.
SURGING
iLoveMakonnen by Aaron Smart interviews with other musicians on his blog. Today he is signed to Drake’s label OVO and still representing Atlanta using his real name. It will be interesting to see the direction he goes with his full length. It is sure to have plenty of collaborations where he hopefully ends up making all club tracks or applies his vocal style to other musical styles. For now, he is getting even more attention after appearing on The Tonight Show (in December) Starring Jimmy Fallon where he performed “I Don’t Sell Molly No More” backed by The Roots. A new remix of “Down 4 So Long” just surfaced with the unlikely feature of Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend.
TITLE: ILOVEMAKONNEN - I Don’t Sell Molly No More ALBUM: I LOVE MAKONNEN
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As soon as Drake’s remix of a fresh new original track called “Tuesday” reached cyberspace, it pretty much exploded. It continues to get a ton of radio play. Where did this track originate? iLoveMakonnen is the original source that has created so many viral hits in 2014. If you haven’t been following him closely, you may have missed the July release of his self-titled ep. Whether or not you refresh your SoundCloud trending tracks on the regular, you will probably here “Swerve” on the radio soon. Twenty-five year old Makonnen Sheran has been at it for a while in College Park, Atlanta. From 2008-2009 while on house arrest, he was able to focus solely on music, honing his keyboard and vocal skills as well as posting
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PANDA BEAR MEETS THE GRIM REAPER
ALBUM REVIEW
DOMINO RECORDS 01.13.2015 RELEASE
This well-engineered album is my favorite of his solo efforts. Despite its macabre title, the vocals are more heartfelt and whimsical in nature than Noah’s earlier works. You won’t be able to distill all that this album has to impart in one sitting. The music is masterfully composed and thematically complex, and while Noah tells us a lot about his own life, I find it chillingly accessible. To fully understand and appreciate Panda Bear’s music you have to juxtapose its rhythmic and electronic patterns with the vocals. Like his previous works, the vocals resound amidst a cloud of reverb, and blend brilliantly with the troupe’s synthesizers,
by JAKE HOLLEMAN mixers, and drum beats. The vocals are always accented with a plethora of electronic sounds, making Noah’s voice sound surreal and majestic at times. With a plethora of sounds happening at once, some may criticize his music for sounding “busy”, but the final result is a beautiful cacophony of sound that defines Panda Bear’s musical genre. The album has a rich percussive effect blending melodic vocals with sounds of toms, maracas, and the
TITLE: PANDA BEAR - Boys Latin ALBUM: PANDA BEAR MEETS THE GRIM REAPER
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Across this release, he uses an eclectic variety of sounds to deliver a fascinating and entirely rhythmic environment that is reminiscent of Panda Bear’s contributions in Animal Collective’s album, Merriweather Post Pavilion. 90s hip-hop heavily influences the beats, giving it a jovial, laid back feel. He uses plenty of grimey, meditative interludes that sound akin to an electronic psycho bubble. The album also samples an assortment of classical instruments, like the harp and piano. Overall, this is Panda Bear’s best work to date, and If you haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing this sublime album, then a treat awaits.
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In early January of this year, three-anda-half-years after the release of Tomboy, Noah Lennox (Panda Bear) dropped his fifth individual LP, ‘Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper.’
constant “knocking” melody felt in Boy’s Latin. Another key track that listeners must sample is Mr. Noah, which offers it all from yelping dog samples, livesounding drums, and a junkyard churn of a melody that’s likely the most unnerving track of the album.
ALBUM REVIEW
MR. GNOME THE HEART OF A DARK STAR EL MARKO RECORDS 11.18.2014 RELEASE
This brings us to Cleveland, Ohio’s fantastic post-punk/ art-rock group mr. Gnome
by DANIEL SNIDER and their recently released new album, ‘The Heart of a Dark Star.’ The talented husband and wife duo of Sam Meister (drums/keys) and Nicole Barille (guitar/ vocals) were hitched in late 2005 as they spent their honeymoon in the studio recording the debut EP for mr. Gnome. They’ve grown ever since, but it wasn’t until their newest release that they have finally expanded beyond their home domain to fresh audiences across
TITLE: MR. GNOME - Rise & Shine ALBUM: THE HEART OF A DARK STAR
the country. Their gritty, bluesy timbre blends immaculately into a psychedelic backdrop with such ease that they are detached from any distinct genre. Her haunting vocals flip in between breathy croons and screams that are akin to the vocals of Tegan & Sara, but ramped up in effects. Opening with Melted Rainbow introduces listeners to the singer’s rolling vocals amid a multicolored soundscape before dropping into the punchy melody and folksy lullaby within Rise & Shine, a vibrant song that shifts smoothy between acoustic guitar picking into electric. Other notable songs include channeling their inner White Stripes in Star Stealers, youth chorales echoes in Odyssey, while lighter fare is found in Mustangs and Light. This fun album offers colorful experiences throughout and warrants repeat listens.
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There is something intriguing about live two piece bands that can deliver dynamic music. It’s simple to discredit an act for not using a bassist or other musicians that provide depth to music compositions, however, the effort of overcoming what might seem like an impedance in truth allows each member to bring their talents into the foreground. Lately it has become an industry standard to witness two-piece acts rise to success over the last decade. The Black Keys, Phantogram, Sleigh Bells, Japandroids, Sylvan Esso, and this list goes on. Most have to embellish their live sound, some via loops, synths and samples, however two-piece bands that take advantage of their restricted means are habitually more fascinating.
D’ANGELO BLACK MESSIAH
ALBUM REVIEW
RCA RECORDS 12.15.2014 RELEASE
The opening track, Ain’t That Easy, starts as if awakening from a surreal dream, before a chugging baseline sets the tone. George Clinton-esque
by DAN BERGER vocals slur along with the track almost lazily, though intentionally. The album’s basslines hew the tracks together, and are further pronounced than many other instruments, to great effect. 1000 Deaths, which is a jumble of a track that rolls through with a chopped up bassline and a rumble of drums, however, it’s almost hard to tune in. The jam of the album, Sugah Daddy, with its stuttering piano line with a bassline that follows
TITLE: D’ANGELO - Sugah Daddy ALBUM: BLACK MESSIAH
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An immensely funky, gritty, and smooth album, Black Messiah is not to be missed. It’s the progressive addition that R&B and Funk music have been missing for quite some time.
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Revival efforts of 70s funk are hard to come by. D’Angelo’s Black Messiah is a special case against this remark, with dazzling throwbacks to bands like Sly and the Family Stone and Parliament / Funkadelic, while Prince is flung in there for good measure. The release, according to The New York Times, was hastened by the panned court rulings of Ferguson, Missouri and Eric Garner, in New York City. The intention of his first album release in over 14 years was to be a statement on his own culture as well as a response to the recent controversial matters between unarmed African-Americans and law enforcement that have been brought to the limelight at the end of 2014.
suit, and Prince-like harmonies strutting throughout the track with snaps and hand claps. Really Love combines a walking bassline with Spanish guitars, and delivers a welcome relaxing break from the heavy opening four tracks, and is about as R&B as this release gets. Additional tracks like Till It’s Done (Tutu) & The Charade present this album with more syncopation, as both swoon and stroll, in contrast to rougher and rawer tracks.
ALBUM REVIEW
WALK THE MOON TALKING IS HARD
RCA RECORDS 12.02.2014 RELEASE
The band returns to the exultant, upbeat sound but it doesn’t feel stale or played out. Though the content of their songs may well be derided as superficial, Walk the Moon plays songs that are about what they know best—living life to the fullest and having fun. I like to describe them as a modern reincarnation of The Cars
by BRENAN WAYLAND with a pop spin, utilizing striking synthesizers, massive dance beats and throbbing bass lines without shying away from guitar riffs that keep them grounded in rock ‘n roll. Lead singer Nicholas Petricca’s voice is smooth, powerful and impressive in its range as he displays a knack for writing anthemic choruses that one can’t help but sing along to. His vocal parts are richly layered with glittering harmonies, making his voice almost like another
TITLE: WALK THE MOON - Shut Up and Dance ALBUM: TALKING IS HARD
instrument in the mix. Walk the Moon truly demonstrates their versatility with this album, from delayed guitar work that is reminiscent of U2, the club energy of Shut Up and Dance to the hard-hitting blues-rock riff within Up 2 U or even the unabashedly 1980’s sound of Aquaman. The upbeat songs traversing the album completely embrace a disco-esque flavor without being tacky, while the mellower tracks showcase the band’s ability to generate deep soundscapes across tasteful, effects-driven guitar lines and ethereal keyboards. The album, like the band in general, appeals to casual listeners who can dance to its songs, but also musicians that can appreciate their impeccable musicianship. It has something for just about everyone. My challenge to you — try to listen to this album and not feel happy.
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The music video for the single Anna Sun was my introduction to Cincinnati’s Walk the Moon. Almost immediately I was taken by the joy exuded from every aspect of the band from the songwriting and rhythm to their positive mannerism. Their music is like a party drug, giving a sense of euphoria and leaving you in need of a lot more afterward. Despite being a pop band, they weren’t clichéd or contrived — but I was afraid that they wouldn’t be able to maintain this for long. Their sophomore album TALKING IS HARD quelled those fears.
WEB HISTORY
TUXEDO Number One
A look at Cue La Musique’s recent music searches and findings throughout the web
RUN THE JEWELS Lie, Cheat, Steal Hilariously heady and erratic visuals perfectly suit this banger from 2014’s finest rap album. Oh and you get to see RTJ rapping in Bush and Obama masks.
YOUNG THUG, FREDDIE GIBBS, ASAP Ferg
Old English verything about this track is outstanding. E YT, Gibbs, and Ferg are a phenomenal team. And those quasi-Basquiat visuals are so enticing over that filthy beat.
PURITY RING
Push Pull
esmerising visuals of all the always M ravishing Megan James play over this promising new single from Purity Ring, which sees them furthering their unique personal sound.
KAYTRANADA ft. VIC MENSA Drive Me Crazy he Chicago MC, who’s hype seems to T multiply by the minute, teams up with Montreal electronic producer Kaytranada for this fantastic new single.
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I nsanely funky R&B dance number from the new duo of Jake One & Mayer Hawthorne. Sounds like a hybrid of Chic and Hall & Oates that is sure to get the folks moving to it.
MONDAY MASHUPS
For every Monday in February, well known bands and artists will join forces for a one night “supergroup” to perform live on Jimmy Kimmel’s show. Right now the acts that are scheduled include the likes of Haim, Wee-Z Top and Morris Day. Surely this event will be as unbelievable as it sounds.
WEB HISTORY
LUPE FIASCO
Mural
ot only is Tetsuo and Youth arguably Lupe’s strongest N album, but Mural might be the finest example yet of Lupe’s sheer ferocity behind a microphone. 9 straight minutes of bars that’ll still have you wanting more once it’s over.
RYAN
WHITEWOLF The Wolf Who Cried Boy
LEFTY PHILLIPS TRIO
Found this fun harmonica driven blues track via Reverbnation that is worth a look. Its by California’s Lefty Phillips Trio. If you like American roots music then you’ll enjoy hearing this!
Little Squeaky
KEEP SHELLY IN ATHENS Holy Forest (Remix) Remix of an original track by the Russian dream-pop group known as Pinkshinyultrablast. It’s not too often that a track gives the chills.
RIHANNA / KANYE WEST / PAUL MCCARTNEY FourFive Seconds or a group of artists that should seemingly mix as well as a F Diet Coke and Mentos, this three way collab is a breezy, flowing ballad that is strangely, yet powerfully endearing.
METRONOMY The Upsetter
In need of a really odd music video? Metronomy is serving up a peculiar narrative for their hit track, The Upsetter. This comes off their fourth studio album, Love Letters, which was released March 10, 2014.
Australian songwriter Ryan Dingle, who goes by Ryan Whitewolf, is greatly influenced by his aborigine roots as they inspire his music through reflections of his adopted infancy. His lyrics communicate about his journey to find who he is as well as struggles that he endures. Music is his ultimate salvation.
SURPRISE Take a leap of faith & scan the QR code.
R E C A L L
ABOVE: MIAMI INDIE ROCKERS SURFER BLOOD PERFORM THEIR SINGLE “FLOATING VIBES” FROM THEIR DEBUT STUDIO ALBUM, ASTRO COAST. AN EXTREMELY FUN BAND TO SEE LIVE. (YOUR CHANCE TO SEE THEM PERFORM IS COMING SOON AT THE 2015 SHAKY KNEES MUSIC FESTIVAL IN ATLANTA)
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RECALL
ABOVE: BRITISH BAND TEMPLES PERFORMING AT A SHOW IN CINCINNATI OHIO. THE PSYCHEDELIC PROG ACT RELEASED A FANTASTIC ALBUM NAMED “SUN STRUCTURES.” EITHER ON RECORD OR LIVE, IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU KNOW THEIR MUSIC!
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ADVERTISER INDEX
JAN/FEB 2015 ISSUE II
Thank you to all our readers & those that continue to believe in this project. We would also like to acknowledge the small businesses and creative groups that shared plenty of excitement and faith in this magazine with their forward thinking decision to advertise in the debut issue. Depending on the advertiser, ad space within the magazine was either purchased or kindly donated as our tem members believe in the advertiser’s service, product, or mission. To advertise with us, contact Daniel Snider at daniel@redflagpromotions.com. Cue La Musique’s most recent digital media kit can be downloaded here. BUSINESS/GROUP INFORMATION Terminal West
Live events @ Terminal West At King Plow
Illuminate / Ferry Corsten
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Atlanta based artist collective
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CONTENT LINKS Online Audio/Video/Websites (via QR Codes) As a not-for-profit publication and creative project of graphic designer Daniel Snider, all QR codes linking to external content are provided as a reference to benefit readers, however, the content does not belong to Cue La Musique Magazine or Red Flag Promotions. All rights belong to the original content holders that may or may not be directly linked through the QR codes.
MEDIA CREDITS As a not-for-profit publication and creative project, all images and artwork used in this publication are provided as a reference to benefit readers and are being used following the explicit guidelines of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic/NC license, (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/) Editorial Use Only license, or license explicitly approved by the original content holder.
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